


Panic! At Lotor's Dictatorship

by cereal_whore



Category: Under the Dome - Stephen King, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: BUT ITS O KAY, F/M, Insecure Lance (Voltron), Lance has anxiety and is a fucking mess but it's okay, Langst, M/M, OH AND ALLURA AND LANCE ARE SIBLINGS, OH MY GOD DOES SHIRO ACTUALLY HAVE THIS IN THE SHOW IS THIS CANON WHAT, Oops, Racism, Shiro (Voltron) Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, So. This is like. Kinda slowly becoming crack., but i didn't want to sugarcoat how society could be so I mentioned it, crap i was under teh impression lance was an actual tag because this fandom seemed messed up enough, don't worry Lance is a memer, keith's been in the closet for so long that he lives in fucking narnia, so like.. kinda triggering, someone save them, wait why is insecure lance a tag, why is that a tag, wtf is this fandom what why
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-14
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-10-05 03:35:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 40,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10296569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cereal_whore/pseuds/cereal_whore
Summary: When everyone's stuck underneath a dome that materialized over their town and came out of nowhere.Panic and Lotor's dictatorship guaranteed 100%.~~~~~In which Lance visited his sister and their quaint little town, only to be interrupted by a little meet-and-greet with a limp corpse inside of a smoking car.The little town, separated from the rest of the world by an indestructible dome, that locks them all inside.And when the corrupt forces of the town decides that they could use the peoples' fear to their advantage in hopes of gaining authority-Lance realizes he can't just dab his pain away, and that this town is reaLLY fucked up.[Credit for title name to: Eosin]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> fun fact:
> 
> i've never watched any content of Voltron before
> 
> Whoops
> 
> But hey, my friend's asking this from mE SO HELLO

He's not really sure what's going on. Like usual. But really, he has at least some common sense that stirred his brain cells into telling him: this isn't normal.

Lance is done. 

He's so fucking done. 

However, he just doesn't want to leave. He's the first to witness her, after all. And for some strange reason, being the only one to actually be there when she died, he feels some sort of need to plant himself by the cadaver. Which is dumb. Because then he'd be the first suspect if the cops find him standing next to a corpse. He doesn't even know this girl.

Feeling a nauseating wave of bile gurgle deep in his throat, he draws in raspy breaths in an attempt to calm himself. Judging how he had finals today, and he witnessed the death of a girl in the same day, he decides he's doing quite well. Which is quite the problem. After all, he's finding the need of vomit spawning from the horror that he's so blank, so calm, at the sight of a girl's body crumpling into a heap of flesh and blood, rather than the actual death itself.

Huh. Another question intrigues him. He definitely witnessed a car crash. But,  _what did she crash into?_ He hesitantly reaches forward to where the smoking hood of the car halted, and strokes forward. His hand rubs against a surface.

She was driving down the road, with Lance walking on the sidewalk, heading to 7/11 for a Slurpee, when her car just-

He raps his knuckles against the hard and slick surface he touched. The girl crashed into something clearly strong-a wall of some sort. However, _he can't see it._  Feeling around, he can definitely still run his hand along the invisible barrier that the car slammed into, but he can't see it. Rather, from an outsider's point of view, it looks like the car just stopped in the middle of the road, with the appearance of it experiencing a crash, but with no culprit of it.

With trembling hands, he grabs his phone, and quickly dials the police.

* * *

"You're doing it wrong."

 _"Thanks,_ Pidge." Keith emphasizes his annoyance masked by mocking gratitude, as he laces bitterness into his words. Pidge is doing this on purpose. For sure. After all, when she's bored, she'll take up the hobby of being a piece of shit. Backspacing on his essay, he fixes the typo.

"Guys, I bought Chinese food!" Hunk lumbers into their small apartment, crashing through the carelessly unlocked door while holding large paper bags of steaming food. The greasy yet pleasing smell of the food, finally convinces Keith that he can finish his essay later, ergo he slams his laptop shut.

Lunging forward, he opens up the cartons of food, as Pidge snarls, and snatches the chicken out of his grasp.

"You guys are like animals." Hunk scoffs, as he snaps a pair of wooden chopsticks apart, and begins to eat his noodles. "Also, keep the room clean!" He waves his chopsticks chidingly at them. He sniggers as Pidge rolls her eyes. Being broken students who are about to go into college, Hunk and Keith decided to just share a dingy apartment. And then Pidge claimed their room as hers; and since it's Pidge, they don't really get a say in it. Even though she's only fourteen, she's willing to resort to murder if it comes down to it. "Filthy creatures." He tosses one last insult in their direction, and Pidge just shrugs as she sticks her tongue out at him.

"Pidge, don't open your mouth while chewing food!" At this, she just smirks devilishly at Hunk. It's ironic, how she's the one who constantly likes a clean space [clean, never said organized], but is willing to rely on dirt moves just to annoy them.

After his taunting statement, peace settles over them, with only the disturbance of muffled chewing.

As he's in the middle of scarfing down his carton of rice, the blaring of police cruisers' alarms from outside, alerts him. "Huh," Pidge frowns. "This is normally a quiet town." By quiet, they mean that only applies on the exterior and image of the town. Really, their town is shit. "Maybe Nyma finally got caught selling drugs." She snickers.

"The police are finally doing something. Surprise, surprise." He mutters flatly. Really, their town used to be fine, until Lotor took position as mayor. It's like having Trump's descendant running their town.

Hunk glowers at him. "Your brother is on the police force."

"And guess what, he happens to be the only officer who actually does his job." Neither of the two other students deny this. Shiro was the only officer who'd actually attempt to try and defy the mayor cautiously, as well as treats others fairly rather than abusing his power. Really, he should be the leader of the station, but according to the boss, Rolo, he was 'too soft' for the job. Well, Rolo certainly never seen Shiro's scary side. The scary side usually comes out whenever Hunk sets their kitchen on fire.

"Anyways, pass me the chicken- _you have to share-"_ He recoils as Pidge snarls viciously, her knuckles white as they tightly cling onto her chicken.

"Animals, I swear." He distinctly hears Hunk mutters.

* * *

Blinking, Lance shrugs. He really doesn't know. He already gave them his contact information, and done the most he could. "Holy shit." The officer whistles, glancing at him. "An invisible barrier..." Unsure on what to really say, he just nods along with his words. An ambulance already drove by, and taken the body. "Hey-" He waves at nearby officers, and Lance nervously watches from the side. He's hoping he's not held back for too long. He has to go home to his family. "Run your along the barrier, and keep walking. We have to see if it covers the entire town, or if there's an opening."

 _An...opening?_ His throat constricts. Lance hasn't considered this. If...this wall thing truly enveloped this entire town, then how is he going to return home? He lives in the neighboring town, and only walked here today to see his older sister, who lived here. But everyone else...is back...

He flinches as a steady pressure grips onto his shoulder. Nearly flipping out, he digs his nails into his palm as he forces himself to round to the officer christened Shiro, who's clapping his shoulder. "Hey...are you okay?" His kind grin slowly transforming into a concerned line. 

"Ah, no I'm fine." He replies, flinching as his voice cracks. "It's just that...the girl's death. It's finally hitting me." He chuckles sheepishly along with his lies. Grimacing, Shiro just ruffles his hair. At this, he freezes, but still can't help but miss the temporary warmth when Shiro removes his hand. It had momentarily reminded him of his family, who was always very partial to physical contact, and would always give Lance noogies or tackle him from behind for the remote. "Um...sir..." he suddenly says meekly.

"Shiro." He corrects.

"Shiro," he quickly stumbles over his words, and has to dig his nails deeper. He probably looks foolish right now. "I need to get home." he stammers.

"Right. You're not from here, you said you were from Macon?" He swiftly nods at Shiro's claim. "Well, we'll see what we can do. Do you have someone you can momentarily stay with right now, or no? Because if not, you can stay at my brother's place. Don't worry, he may seem mean but he's really a softie." He grins.

That sounds horrendous. It's not that Lance is against meeting new people, rather, he yearns for close friendships [something he never obtained, he only ever got shallow ones that were destined to be broken as they leave for someone better]. But, he doesn't want to make another stupid impression with such a nice guy's younger brother. He wants Shiro to like him, and he wants to appeal to him. He resembles one of Lance's older brothers, heroic, a glittering light, and someone he could never be. "It's fine. My sister lives here. I can stay with her."

"Oh, really?" Shiro blinks. "This is somewhat of a small town. I might know her. I can drive you over to her, here, what's her name?"

"Uh, Allura."

"Allura? As in Allura McClain?"

"Uh yeah." 

"I think I know where her house is. Here," he pops open the passenger's seat of his cruiser. "Hop in. I'll give you a ride."

* * *

"Your sister is astounding." Shiro gushes. Lance vaguely wonders if Allura even knows Shiro. Allura was always Lance's favorite sibling [not like he'd tell his other twelve siblings]. "She's the famous news reporter, right?" 

He nods.

Lance wonders when it's appropriate for him to start cracking puns. Bubbling in his chest, he's anxious on if he's becoming too boring for Shiro. But he doesn't want to seem stupid or rude by making jokes at the moment. Allura would do a lot better here. Maybe it has something to do with being a middle-child, but he's always compared to his other siblings. While Allura just came back from reporting the news from NASA to nations, he's still trapped in his last year of high school, without any idea of what to do. Fiona is already a top-surgeon. His brother, who's two years younger, is practically a stereotypical evil genius, just times two. 

His entire family, even Hailey, who's still a five-year-old piano prodigy, is better than him. But it's okay. He doesn't mind just being the wise-cracker of his family. He doesn't mind if they only use him momentarily, and only when they need him, but pushes him away any other time when they don't. Because at least he's being useful for a little bit.

Other than just being a comic relief, he's nothing.

"Lance?"

Blinking, Lance gazes at Shiro. "We're here."

Staring at the nice, quaint house that one wouldn't expect of a rich and famous reporter, he feels trepidation. Allura's probably going to kill him for getting involved with a dead person. Even if it's by accident. Great, at least once he's a corpse he can call Allura a hypocrite for killing him over something she'd done as well. Also, Allura might find it weird that after thirty-minutes of staying at her house, eating all of her food [including all the cereal], and leaving, he'd be returning.

Eh.

He hops out, waves and thanks Shiro who just beams back and waits until he reaches the doorstep safely, and rings the doorbell.

"Hell-" Allura's beautiful visage appears as the door swings open after the third ring, only for it to freeze at the sight of Lance, clutching his backpack.

"Hey."

"...Fine." She huffs, and steps aside. Ah, thank God for Shiro. Lance is pretty sure that he's the only reason why she's not attempting murder right now. She's smart enough to at least know not to commit a crime in front of a police officer. 

As soon as the door creaks shut, he pauses Allura before she could adopt her motherly, scornful tone. "Um. There's an invisible barrier surrounding our town."

"...didn't I tell you to not do drugs?"

 __"I don't need drugs to be this creative, first of all, and secondly, _thanks._ "

 

 


	2. fdajkl'fda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shit goes down. The town begins to panic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wait can someone tell me what Rolo and Nyma are actually like in the show? I really need to watch this show and not just guess from all the fanfics my friend sent me.

Lance groans, slightly regretting everything. Allura didn't actually believe him when he said an invisible barrier could be surrounding their town; but when screams and shouts erupted outside, she figured that something must be taking place. Meaning that being a curious reporter, and a complete ass, she decided to drag both of them out to go and try to report whatever's going on, live.

"Why do I have to come?" He questions grumpily from the passenger seat. 

"Because I don't trust you alone in my house." She replies, not bothering to even acknowledge his presence by looking at him. Her eyes are fixated on the road ahead, where traffic is also taking place.

"And, you might kill my mice."

Right. Even when they were young, Allura had a strange fondness for mice, and their parents even bought her some as pets.

"Something really is happening, when does this small town ever get traffic?" She mutters as they ease around the curb only to face a long line of cars. The sun reflects off of the surfaces of the vehicles, creating a mesmerizing glittering effect. He promptly ignores her, and cranks up the radio, only to jolt upright and out of his slouch when he identifies the song. Quickly shrugging his shoulders to the beat while waving his left hand in the air, he begins to mouth along.

"Lance, stop."

"Allura, let me live."

"I swear every time I hear the part where she sings, 'if you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it', some of my brain cells die."

"Are you insulting my queen?"

"No I'm insulting your music choices."

"You listen to classical music-"

"This is my car I will kick you out into traffic."

He turns off the radio.

* * *

He winces. Already, a huge mob has swarmed the grotesque scene, and he swiftly snaps his neck to face Allura rather than out the window.

"Is something wrong?"

"Uh. I didn't tell you this...but there was this girl. Who crashed into the wall of the thing. And she died because of it. That's...why everyone's crowding that area." He confides. The car slowly stutters to a stop as she pulls it to the side. 

She sympathetically tousles his hair in an act of comfort. "I'm sorry."

"Nothing to apologize for." He smiles brightly in response. He doesn't want to see Allura sad. She's already stressed as she is, with the public demand for more huge projects from her, as well as the fact that recently, a stalker has shown up at her house. Usually, people leave Allura alone, even other reporters, because of her cat. Yes. She has five cats, all of them acting like guards. Weird. However, this time, a man in a grey hoodie refused to leave her porch at three in the morning, when he probably assumed she was asleep. He doesn't need to become more of a burden on her than he already may be.

"There really is a wall...look-" People, pressed up in a line, facing in the same direction, and muffled shouts are thrown about. It's as if they're held back against some sort of force. "They're all pressing against the wall..." Allura whips to face Lance, her pale eyes dilated. "Lance, do you know if there's an entrance of some sort? How far does this wall go?"

"Around the entire town." A distinctly familiar yet fairly new voice interjects. Whipping around, he sees Shiro, who smiles kindly. Lance beams at the sight of a new 'friend'. "We checked to see if there was a way out from the top of town. Apparently not, considering how if you look close enough, there are dots floating high up." 

He squints. He's right. Tiny, tiny dots just floating in the sky. 

"Those are dead birds who crashed into the side. And judging by their position and how they landed, we can confirm that it's a dome covering us. There's a ceiling." Shiro explains. "We had a helicopter check."

The click of heels capture Lance's wandering attention. Allura's now facing Shiro with a questioning countenance, and her manicured hands propped on her slim hips. Her heels tap against the concrete floor, signifying that she's thinking. "Wait, how did you get a helicopter so quickly?" She asks skeptically. Right. It's been around an hour since Lance discovered the wall, and even less time since the rest of the town figured realized. How did a helicopter get here so fast, just for this purpose? There's no way the government or someone would actually believe that there's an invisible-ass-dome surrounding a tiny, irrelevant town.

At this, Shiro's eyes flits to the side. "I actually am a general of the military. I came back because it was our break, and I'm visiting family. For when I retire and whenever I'm not needed in the military, I work as a police officer here. So, I kinda get access to talk to the military whenever I want." he chuckles.

Lance is only partially listening. His real occupation explains a lot. The faint scar skinned over his sharp nose, and the prosthetic arm that must've costed a lot. He wasn't aware that Shiro had a metal arm, until now, with his uniform's sleeves rolled up. "I'm more worried that..." he blinks, and struggles to focus on the conversation once more. It's rude to stare. He hopes that Shiro wasn't aware of his gaze. Thankfully, Shiro seems to be listening intently to Allura. "The people from outside...they don't know that there's a dome around our town. It's transparent. They'll crash right into it." She mutters.

"If the people stand around the borders, more likely than not the cars would slow down and we could explain it to them." Lance suggests.

"That would require a lot of work. This town, though there's not a lot of people, is still pretty big. We won't have enough people to cover up all the roads that lead out of here to warn the people from outside. I'm hoping that the government will get news of this and broadcast this. This is very dangerous." His sister shakes her head. "Wait...look." 

"Ah, right. The powerlines." Shiro nods gravely at where Allura's pointing. Lance gulps. So they'll probably run out of electricity. The electrical cords connected from one stem to another, have snapped, presumably because the dome sliced right through them. Crap. What'll he do with his phone? "We're not sure if wi-fi will also work, but I think we'll be fine."

Lance suddenly laughs as a startling realization dawns on him. "We're pretty chill about this, ya know." He snorts. "Like, Shiro, you were shocked, but you kinda just accepted it. And Allura, you kinda just...well, you just went with it."

At this, Shiro stares at him dead in the eye. "I've dealt with Pidge. I can deal with anything." He whispers, and Lance inwardly flinches. Was Pidge some sort of weapon, or some sort of thing involved in his military services? 

"I'm a news reporter. I've lost all faith in humanity, and I've seen too many things in my line of work. By this point, this is just another phenomenon that I'm just going to put down to aliens." Allura claims. Whenever Allura can't figure out a conclusion to a question or ordeal, she just labels it down to 'aliens'.

"So, you're the officer who dropped off Lance." Allura notes. "What did he do?"

"Just needed a ride." Shiro chuckles. "I'm Shiro."

"Allura. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." 

* * *

The dead body. It was out of a fit of rage. Which had inevitably lead to Nyma killing the girl. Really. Is she scared? Yeah. She's not scared because she murdered someone, no. Rather, she's more afraid of the consequences. Because she took a life. And not neatly, either. Blood splattered across the kitchen counter, and there's a pool of it underneath the still head of Lydia. 

Lydia pisses her off. Yes, they were best friends at one point. And maybe that's why Nyma actually does feel slightly guilty at the sight of an immobile body. Thankfully it's over a rug that was placed near the sink for when Nyma washes the dishes, the backsplash of water would just land on the rug. Quite mutely, as if in a daze, she scrubs off the blood on the granite counter where she bashed her friend's skull against. Then, she slowly drags the said friend away. Nyma's not physically weak, and Lydia was quite small as well. Quickly, she exits from her backdoor.

Oh God. 

The police will come after her.

She's going to get caught.

Her entire life in jail.

She feels sick.

She had heard sirens a couple minutes earlier, just after she successfully murdered Lydia. At that time, she had the stilling thought they were after her. That somehow, they knew what she done. But they passed. And she knows she'll lose her nerve if she doesn't dispose of the body  _right now._ As she leaves the backdoor, she's greeted with silence. No one's nearby.

Even that bitchy grandpa who was her neighbor, isn't here. Strange. He's usually nearby to give her disapproving glances, as if he's aware that she constantly buys drugs in their neighborhood. Scoffing at that thought, she takes a deep inhale. Near her backyard, is a ditch of a dried up lake. Quickly, she runs to a nearby barrel. Her backyard is basically a dumpster. People come by, and leave behind old furniture or just trash bags in general. 

Meaning if she dumped Lydia here, they can't trace it directly back to her even though she literally lives right in front of it, because too many people come by here. Finding a disgusting, flimsy plastic barrel, she figures it'd be big enough. She'd just have to squeeze Lydia in there. Popping off the lid with suspicious scratches in it, she finds other dead bodies of raccoons in there. 

Disgusting. 

Wrinkling her nose at the stench, she folds Lydia's tiny body to fit into the barrel, before she slams back on the lid and runs.

She's so scared.

What if they catch her?

What if someone saw her? 

Oh God.

She rushes back into her house, and quickly, gathers up the rug stained with blood. Right. She can't have this either. She'll have to get rid of it. But, she first shoves it into her actual trash can, knowing she'll just dump the bag into the wasteland later. For now, she'll just leave it here. She has to clean up. Scrubbing the floor speckled with crimson, she also figures that she needs to take a shower in case if the police brings dogs and they detect the scent of metallic blood on her.

She sighs. 

She refuses to get caught. She won't let herself be caught. At this painful thought, she also recalls, that on the police force, Rolo is the leader. She won't let herself be on the opposite side of him.

* * *

Screaming. Fire. 

 _"Lance!"_  

Hacking, he tries to respire the smoke out of his heaving lungs. "Run!" The car catches on fire, and flames greedily surround the car. Crowds are dispersing with every scream. Another car slammed into the dome. Apparently, someone had the thought that they would be able to create a hole in the wall if they drove fast enough. 

Idiot.

A heavy hand clamps onto his shoulder, and yanks him along. With no resistance, he staggers behind, tripping over his feet. "Lance!" Blinking blearily, the ash stings his eyes. "Are you okay?" Rapidly winking his left eye in hopes that it would stop throbbing and watering, he's able to see see his sister through a blurry vision. 

"Uh." He answers stupidly. Smooth.

"You stood too close to the wall, I was so scared-" oh. Right. Lance hadn't expected for the car to swerve at the last minute towards where he was standing near the border of the wall. He narrowly avoided it, and the explosion that followed, he was so close to it he could feel the heat instantaneously billow outwards in combustion. 

"But I'm good." He snaps his fingers into duel-guns. Allura makes a face. "Bet you wish I really did die, right?" he winks. She decks him on the head, and he whimpers in pain. Ouch. 

"Clearly, everyone's panicking." Allura sucks in hair through her gritted teeth out of exasperation.

"Really? And here I thought we were all gathering for a tea party-"

Another whack to the head. He stops.

"I can see this entire town spiraling out of control."

"Is this going to be a free for all?" He suddenly questions on impulse. At this, Allura doesn't hit him, thankfully- and she raises an eyebrow with a gesture for him to continue. "Like. Is there going to be a ruler of this place?" He asks. "If not, then is it like a survival of the fittest? Meaning that we have to and raid the only tiny grocery mart of this small town and fight for resources? Because there's no way we're getting food outside of this town." he explains. "Or, if there is going to be a leader, who's it gonna be?"

Allura's mocha skin ashen into a shade paler, that resembles grey almost.

"I didn't think about that..." Shiro's eyes widen. "Lotor...would most likely take command, knowing his personality as well as his position as mayor of this town." He looked physically pain to utter that.

Now, Lance doesn't really know this town, but he's heard of Lotor before through the thirty-bubbled rants that Allura would specifically send to him through text.

"So...free for all? Because pretty soon, someone's going to come to the same conclusion so we should all get food." He says.

"Shit. We actually should." Allura scowls. At this, Lance is growing concerned. Allura disapproves swearing, so if she's using a vulgar tongue, it must mean that she's starting to become stressed. "Hey, Shiro, I know we just met, but can you please do me a favor?" She says. "I need you to take Lance with you, I'll go to the store and grab as much food as we can. Take him away, you know where I live? Right?"

"Wait...there might be a mob at the store already you sure you don't want me to go-"

"No, please, I don't want Lance to get hurt-"

Lance scowls. Of course. Due to his feminine build, he tends to be a little weaker than others. Yes, he attempted to put on muscle, but still. Because of his small body, he's not necessarily hard to push around. He's nothing special. Just average. But it's okay. He's accepted that. And also he doesn't need to be more of a whiny bitch by complaining about his problems without doing anything about them. Especially if it's something as insignificant as his appearance. It's shallow.

"Hey, is it fine if I take him to my place? It's super close to the store so I can drop him off and go in with you-"

"Yes, that'll work. Hey, stay safe." She points a finger at Lance, followed with a sharp glower. He just sticks his tongue out, and her finger quickly transforms into an uplifted middle one, as she quickly dives into her car and drives away.

"Let's go." Shiro says, and they pile into his cruiser. As they begin to drive, Lance feels a coiling sensation in his gut. Right. Meeting new people. He hopes that Shiro's brother won't be home. He doesn't want to be alone with someone he doesn't know. Shiro's different, because he's an adult therefore it's not expected for them to become close friends. However, if this brother of his is his age, then things will become extremely awkward and difficult, probably because of Lance's fault.

"Lance, is your sister gonna be alright?"

"In the market? I mean, considering how she once broke someone's arm with a baseball bat, yeah I think she'll be fine." Lance replies offhandedly, too indulged in his worries and clouding concerns, to notice Shiro who almost chokes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> stay tuned for the next chapter, where Pidge and Hunk prove to be geniuses as they figure out a way to work with the electricity problem.
> 
> And Lotor becomes manipulative and takes control, with Shiro being his only competitor.
> 
> Lance really just wants to go home. :^)
> 
> And while arguing with Keith, they stumble upon a strange discovery. [wait this might be in a later chapter whoops]


	3. fdhai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance meets up with the trio.   
> Stuff happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY SO SHIT REALLY DOESNT HAPPEN YET
> 
> I AM SO SORRY THIS PLOT IS SO SLOW

"Hey."

Keith slams the door shut. Wait. He swings it open with such force. "Um. Privacy?" The boy arches his eyebrows, as if  _he_ has the right to be offended. Well, Keith guesses he somewhat does, considering how he's shamelessly glaring at him while he's on the toilet. 

"Privacy? For a person who  _broke_ _into my apartment_ I don't think you even understand that concept!" He screeches. Now, Keith may be rather lackluster to most things, and his responses are mostly indifferent and sarcastic-

That doesn't quite reach to the extent of witnesses a boy sitting on his toilet seat. 

Rather calmly, the said boy just snorts, and continues scrolling down his phone, as if it's perfectly normal for him to be sitting on a stranger's toilet, his pants only halfway down his slender legs, and having the actual fucking stranger gawking at him with the door open. Finally, he gazes over his phone screen with a deadpanned countenance.

"Um...so you gonna close the door? Or am I going to have to report to Shiro that his brother is sadly a pervert?" The boy continues to speak, and Keith flushes, feeling the heat quickly rush underneath his skin. 

"W-you-" he stammers, unable to convey his anger and frustration into proper sentences.  _"Get up!"_

The boy stares at him. "I'd rather not, considering my position right now." 

"I-"

"Or are you a dominating type?"

Keith wants to scream.

_"Who are you?"_

"Lance."

"Well,  _Lance._ I think you're in the wrong apartment-wait. You know Shiro?" He questions, suddenly suspicious. The boy clicks his tongue and creates a finger-gun with his free hand. He shudders in disgust in response, which drawls out a whine and pout from Lance. "I knew it. Shiro's still mad at me over the kitchen." Keith groans.

"Kitchen?"

"Let's just say I can't boil eggs."

"Wait, dude you ruined boiling an egg?"

"You don't have a right to judge me considering how you didn't lock the door."

"I couldn't figure out how to use the lock."

"OH MY GOD-"

* * *

"So you're Lance?" Hunk asks experimentally, clearly with caution. After all, he did walk in on Keith batting- _not attacking_ -Lance with a roll of toilet paper, and Lance screaming with words so vulgar that sailors would recoil, while he's on the toilet and partly naked. Smooth, Hunk.

Lance also happens to have a thing for swearing in Spanish. And no, Keith did  _not_ find his timbre while using that language, attractive. He actually didn't, considering how the boy was pathetically cowering as he repeatedly smacked him with toilet paper. Really, it was just a strange experience. When they were finally pried apart by Hunk, and Pidge who was close by and absolutely no help as she resulted to just taking a video for further blackmail use-

He nearly clawed out Lance's vivid eyes, and at that, Lance had screamed  _'not the face,_ not _the face! Dammit do you know how many skin masks I used already to make it as smooth as this? I refuse to have a scar-"_ Well, that explains the naturally golden glow of his mocha skin. Keith had fun imaging stabbing it more than once within the span of five seconds.

"May I ask why you were in our bathroom?"

At this, Lance suddenly does something that Keith was certainly not expecting. It's as if all the adrenaline after their first meeting, has drained from him, leaving behind a rather vulnerable figure. Clearly, he's struggling to remain calm. So he does have some sense of shame. Good. 

Answering while he rubs his neck sheepishly, Keith notes his discomfort. Then again, Keith would feel rather anxious if he was placed with people who saw him using the toilet in their house, with no idea of knowing who he was. "Um. Shiro dropped me here. Because of all that's happening outside, ya know." He chuckles at the end, his cobalt eyes brightening at approaching a new subject that strays away from the bathroom incident.

"What's going on outside?" Pidge picks up the conversation without hesitation. She was always straightforward and blunt within topics, to figure out what she wants without any sort of confusion. She likes things like that, she likes being the manipulator. 

At this, Lance hesitates. "Uh. It's. Kinda hard to explain."

"What? How? Just say it and let it be." Pidge crinkles her nose, clearly annoyed by this sudden change. 

"Uh."

* * *

 _"Extraordinary!"_ Pidge chirrups, her eyes glittering. Keith flinches. While it's clearly spawned from happiness, he can't help but become guarded whenever her eyes begin to gleam, as that usually happens whenever she finds a new way to torture him. "This material...you said a car crashed into this and nothing happened?" She demands, her timbre dangerously loud, as she leans towards Lance, who just quickly nods. 

They're outside, after Lance described the series of events that took place to him, and Pidge, who believes in only science, logic, and aliens-needed to see it for herself. Keith doesn't feel safe out here. The roads are eerily abandoned, and Lance said it's probably because everyone's panicking and rushed home, or went to the only crappy market they had in this town. 

"The electricity...I'm going to guess our only means of communication, through computer and telephone, will only last a day at the least." Hunk mutters, as he drags Pidge away from flattening her face against the dome. Keith, can barely believe it himself. So, as if to confirm Lance's claim, he reluctantly places a hand forward to where Pidge's face was seconds ago.

His fingers prod something hard. 

Something that his human eyes cannot see. 

He swallows.

"Wait...so...how long do you think this dome will last?" He swiftly rounds to Hunk, who shrugs.

"Can't know for sure." He proceeds to say. "I'm just worried, look, I can't get any signal on my phone." He waves the said device around. "If waves can't get through, then what else can't? I'm most worried if oxygen can get through." Keith stares. He didn't think about that factor. But, as he strays farther down that thought, it's something very important and obvious. "We don't know if air can pass through the dome. Eventually, we will run out of air, or we can't filter enough air into here." He says.

Pidge, who finally descended from her euphoria, is now spouting out her thoughts, something she usually does. "Is this perhaps some sort of experiment from the government? What other source has enough power to do something like this, and build something like this?" She shifts her glasses. "And, we do have a forest. You know that hill over there?" She jabs her thumb behind her, towards the general direction of the hills. Keith and Lance nod in unison. "The forest should filter out our air, but...you know...we do also have that huge factory. That'll create a lot of pollution. I doubt that our forest will be able to keep up with filtering out the air." She mutters. "We have to shut down the factory, first of all."

"Like hell that's going to happen." Keith purses his lips. "The factory is owned by Lotor. He's not going to shut that down." He scowls. 

"Oh, right." Lance snaps his fingers, his hooded eyes widening. "Is he the one who's going to lead the town?"

Sudden gloom settles onto Keith.

"Wait...by lead do you mean...oh no." Pidge groans loudly, and kicks a stray piece of asphalt off the road.  _"Dammit!_ Right, of course he'll try to take advantage of this situation." She growls, and Keith, though he's aware of the severity of this situation, smirks at the sight. He's silently comparing her to an angry chihuahua in her head. "Knowing him, he'd probably will. Everyone panicking, would want a strong leader after all." She snarls. 

"Well fuck." Lance sums it up quite quickly. "Wait, so my sister kinda hates him, from what I heard because of some personal issues with him. But from what I've heard, everyone loves him. So why do you guys hate him?" He then winces as Pidge turns her glowering eyes onto him. "I don't support him, I don't even know much about him-" he blabbers, clearly trying to portray himself in a lighter perspective to her.

 _"Well!"_ Pidge fumes. "Glad you fucking asked! Basically, he hates Shiro-" Keith winces. After what Lotor's done to Shiro, he can't ever forgive him. "He stripped Shiro of his title at the station, and blamed this case on Shiro, saying that it was his fault that the girl died when it wasn't! It  _really wasn't!"_  

"Uh-"

"And then the thing is anytime someone tries to defend Shiro, he acts as if that person personally offended them. Like, as if they shoved a fucking stick up his ass and broke off his dick at once-"

"Stop. Pidge, just...stop." Lance clears his throat. "I get it. He's an ass. But I'm starting to get scared you're going to murder me or something so..." Lance smiles. "Let's just get back before Shiro comes home and panics that four children disappeared."

"Fine. But let me just say, if we disappeared, he'd have a lot less wrinkles and stress. He's not going to cry over our dead bodies, probably." Pidge sighs with a wave of her hand. 

* * *

Keith stares, absolutely lost. "Are they usually like this?" Lance whispers. Keith nods with a roll of his eyes, though he has nothing but admiration for Hunk and Pidge. They're both absolutely silent, furiously staring at their respective projects and working at a pace that could only be described as impossible.

"Yeah. Basically." Keith answers. He studies Lance for a moment. At first, he assumed Lance to be somewhat of a narcissist, judging by the way he had an assertive tone, and the way that he seemingly sneered at them for the first five minutes they talked in the bathroom. And, so he expected some sort of envy from Lance, and Keith would've had a sense of self-satisfaction from that. However, judging by the way that his gaze softened, and how his eyes dilated and glistened as his lips quirked upwards, he's able to identify that as admiration.

Lance had genuine, pure admiration for a group of people he's associated with for only ten minutes.

Huffing at that realization, he quickly flickers his gaze away and towards the computer that Pidge is furiously tapping on, to avoid getting caught staring. He can't be claimed a creep after he did the same with Lance for not locking the bathroom door. "So what are you guys doing now?" Lance inquires curiously. 

"So it's definite I can't access the internet. I was just trying all methods to see if I could." She mutters. "But, here's the thing, just a couple days ago, I may have hacked into the server for Lotor's emails."

Keith wheezes.  _"Pidge! You could be jailed for that!"_

Sighing, Pidge crosses her nimble arms. "Stop worrying so much." Keith frowns at that. "Look, I was...let's just say that Shiro had some suspicions on him, and he told me not to do anything about it, and I decided, 'well fuck you I'm going to do something about it' and I did. I found some files that I wanted to share with you, and to our town that basically idolizes him, and watch their dreams crush as they realize what the emails are on, but I wasn't sure how without being questioned how I got those emails. I thought about leaking them, but you know. You can't believe the internet, ever." She says.

"What are on the emails?" Keith questions, feeling a strong need for satisfaction of hearing what would be Lotor's supposed downfall. 

"The emails are about drug trading." She smirks.

"Seriously?" He gapes.

"Yeah. He does pretty weird shit." A wry grin matches her crooked tone. 

Keith feels estatic. Finally. Finally something that'd reveal Lotor for who he truly is in this hellhole. Everyone who believes in him, who loves him, who admires him but doesn't understand who he truly is, will finally realize how much a fucking snake he truly is. 

"And what are you doing?" Lance pinpoints the attention onto Hunk.

"Creating a device. I'm scared for the pollution thing. If it comes down to it, we'd need something that'd filter out a good amount of air, and store it." He claims.

"You can do that?" Lance gapes.

"Of course I can." He says. 

Lance turns to Keith with a solemn expression, something that Keith isn't used to seeing. "Dude. You have two prodigies-well, one of them that invests in illegal activities more than doing productive shit-but,  _dude. Your friends are amazing!"_

"Of course they are." He murmurs in return, as he ignores Lance's beaming expression. Yeah. It's cute. But that doesn't mean it affects him. He finds many things attractive-the main thing being his cat. But that doesn't mean it necessarily means anything. At all. "Stop staring. You're being creepy."

"Well, your hair is creepy!"

"What?"

"You have a mullet."

"Wh-no I don't?" Keith stares, startled by this sudden subject that Lance seems to think is something of the utmost importance. "What the actual fuck?"

 _"A mullet._ "

"Stop."

"So, Mullet-head-"

_"I will shove my fucking foot so hard up your ass that you'll taste my sneakers."_

"Kinky." Pidge says from the side.

* * *

"It's nice to see that you're getting along with Lance!" Shiro smiles brightly as he walks in, carrying around five bags of groceries. A beautiful lady had followed, with even more bags, and Keith gapes at her astounding strength. 

"Yes, he's great!" Hunk proclaims, and Lance reacted in such a way, that Keith nearly chokes on his own spit. He looks so genuinely happy at Hunk's claim, like a dog who's been called  _'good boy'_. "While I was building something, he said a bunch of memes to keep me company." 

Right. Keith remembers that:

_"Hey, Keith."_

_"What?"_

_"_ _Keith me outside, how bow dat?"_

_Feeling like he was in The Office, he gazes far off and mentally says:_ 'And _at that point of my life I knew that I had to kill him'._

"Yeah. He was tolerable." Pidge confesses to the side. She roasted his ass around five times. This is one of those rare moments in his life when he appreciates her witty and unfiltered mouth. 

Keith doesn't say anything. Though they can accept each others' presences rather well, and they trade insults that Keith horrifyingly realized he somewhat enjoys; it's as if there's this barrier that cracked between them. Lance, who shies away from him, flinching, and always has an unreadable countenance whenever they fall silent, always directed at him-

He determines that Lance hates him. 

And that's probably why he's treating him rather coldly, and scolding him for his mistakes- _'you're annoying Pidge, stop'_ -or- _'you made me lose my last roll of toilet paper!'_ [while murdering Lance with the said weapon, it had fallen into the toilet. And Keith, though he once got lost in a desert for a week and had to use leaves as toilet paper before his group found him again, still has enough dignity to not use soggy toilet paper].

Because if Lance is determined to hate him, Keith might as well too.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the next chapter, we'll see Lotor be a real dickhead towards Shiro, and a power struggle occurs over who'll lead the people.
> 
> Also warning: 
> 
> poor Lance will get hurt.  
> Why?  
> Because this is a f ucking langst fic thats why.  
> ALSO WHY IS LANGST A USED TAG WHAT
> 
> Also, if i'm portraying these charactesr wrongly, or they seem OOC, then t e ll me.  
> I also didn't want Keith and Lance to be like. 'o shit ur hot lets fuck' because for one-  
> I don't write smut. So I'm sorry if you were expecting something i am an innocent soul let me live-  
> and two: from what I heard, they had a rivalry sort of relationship, kinda love/hate. So I wanted to make their relationship buildup as accurate to the canon thing, as possible.


	4. oh shit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Garrison is now a town.  
> I PROMISE THAT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER, SHIT WILL GO DOWN  
> By that I mean the body from the beginning is found :^)  
> And guess who takes the blame of it unwillingly? 
> 
> :^)))))
> 
> ALSO:  
> kudos to whoever notices the Kim Possible reference ;^)

"Citizens, don't worry! The government will take care of this, I'm very sure!" Lance is used to Shiro dazzling Allura with his smile more than not, or beaming at Keith, who just scowls back and struggles hiding his fondness; so when he witnesses the look of absolute disgust crossing his features, Lance was not prepared. "Meanwhile, we have to ration out our food, and we have to stay together. We  _will_ get through this."

Lance studies Lotor. Yeah, he does seem rather charismatic with his crooked smile that radiates its special little charm, and his assertive tone that implies:  _'don't worry, I got it under control'_. No wonder the citizens that gathered at the town hall after the police herded them there, actually calmed down after the initial panic. "I promise you, that everything will be okay." He even chuckles at the end, which draws out uncertain laughs from the audience, who probably chortled in the first place to try and lighten the tense atmosphere. In complete honesty, Lance finds it rather awkward.

"Wait, what happens if the dome doesn't lift up after a certain amount of days?" A raspy voice croaks out, and Lance, though he's quite willowy, still has to peer over the crowd on his toes to try and identify the speaker. It's an older man from the audience, with silvery hair and a rather unpleasant grin. Shuddering, Lance quickly drops back onto the soles of his feet, no longer curious about him.

"Ew. Haggar." He blinks, rounding to Pidge, who's wearing a familiar expression of distaste that Lance is used to by now. He's noticed that Pidge normally saves that look for whenever her laptop is running slow.

"Well, then we're going to have to have a plan on how to cultivate food for all of us to continue living. As long as we have each other, we'll be fine."  _What sort of Barney bullshit is this?_ _What's next, you're going to start quoting 'Sesame Street'?_  

Lance waits for Hunk to raise awareness of the possibility that air might not be able to escape through the dome's material, however, that never comes. Rather, they're put through more supportive falsities that Lotor seems to love spouting out, and the audience actually falls for. Lance scoffs at that. Really, Shiro seems to have the most power here, considering how the military backs him up for the most part.

"Guys...why aren't we bringing up the 'air' problem?" He wheezes. 

"Because, if so, Lotor might accuse us of causing more trouble." Keith mumbles. "Now shut up." Lance recoils, taken back. He's not sure why, but maybe it's because he appeared on his toilet without warning, but Keith seems to hate him. Lance wilts at that thought. Ah shit. Well, he doesn't really expect anything from him.

Keith does seem to have such useful friends, all of them smart, resourceful, and well,  _cool._ It's not that Lance is jealous of them, rather, he finds it amazing. The way that Hunk's thick fingers were delicately tinkering with his machines, creating something that others can imagine but can never build, Pidge with her smartness and acute awareness of things, with her vast knowledge that would never come off as useless, and all that earned off of hard work-especially since she seems to be much younger than all of them, and Shiro, with his firm leadership qualities and obvious kindness that he's shown for his brother and his friends.

Keith's constantly surrounded by amazing people; people that Lance probably doesn't deserve to ever meet in his lifetime, even though he's selfishly gleeful he did. 

No wonder Keith looks down on him. Honestly, Lance can't blame him, he'd probably do the same.

"But...didn't the Haggar guy do that?" Lance quickly returns to the topic at hand, as he realizes he had submerged himself in his insightful thoughts. 

"Yeah, but Lotor likes Haggar. We're different. He hates Shiro." Keith whispers, his timbre indicating that he's becoming irritated by Lance's constant pestering. 

"Well, might as well do it now, with all the people around to hear it. If you approach him about it peacefully and privately, he's never gonna tell the people unless if it's for his own benefit." Pidge evaluates.

At this, Hunk reluctantly raises a hand, interrupting Lotor's redundant and repetitive speech of reassurance. At this, Lotor arches an eyebrow, clearly directing frustration towards them, but it's quickly smothered before the rest of the citizens would notice. Ah. He did that on purpose; nobody would be able to have their emotions timed coincidentally like that, it'd have to be controlled consciously. Ergo, he wanted them to notice his irritation, as well as realize that nobody else does. It's a way of implying upon them: _I have this power among the people, and you can't do anything about it despite being aware of it._  

"Yes? Hunk, am I right?"

Hunk nods, before clearing his throat. He's obviously nervous, and in hopes of easing the said nerves, Lance grips onto Hunk's free arm. "Me and my friend Pidge, we realized, that if so many things couldn't be passed through the wall, and it couldn't break from a car...then would it be possible for oxygen to go through the dome?"

"What?"

"What I mean sir, is that would the dome allow oxygen to pass through its material? It seems quite thick, after all. And even if it does, the pollution from the factories here will eventually clog up the air, it wouldn't be logical for the forest here to be able to recycle the air quickly enough."

Silence befalls among the citizens, as they allow the heavy realization to sink in.

"Hunk...I'm sure that we could easily fix that. I run the factory nearby, I'll shut it down. I'm sure we'll be fine, don't worry. I'll take care of it." Lotor finally responds, his countenance indifferent and cold, despite his soothing tone.

 _'I'll take care of it'._ Lance has heard himself utter those words many times. Usually during group projects, or whenever all his other siblings have left the house and he's stuck babying his baby nephews and nieces. 

However, the way Lotor said it, was like a kid in a project who takes overwhelming control, and doesn't allow his members to contribute because he wants everything done his way. "Meanwhile, just trust me. We'll get through this- _together_."

* * *

"Together my ass!" Lance contently stuffs more nacos into his mouth, as he watches the table clatter onto the floor. "He makes so- _ughghh!"_ He snorts, watching Pidge wreak havoc on the poor duvet next.

He turns to Hunk, who just nods at the unsaid question. Huh. So this does happen often. To the side, Shiro is busy making important phone calls that even Pidge knows not to interrupt with one of her ignited rants. Allura is also to the side, jotting down notes about the situation. Of course, being the reporter she is, it's undeniable that she'd have a habit of scribbling down notes of her environment.

Something that Lance rarely does.

Actually, that's a lie. He does. He tries his hardest. He finds himself at three in the morning, content and self-satisfied that he spent so long studying, even though it's probably damaging his brain more than helping it. Whatever. As long as it's helping him the possibility of being granted a scholarship. He needs it. With more than eighteen kids in his family, it's inevitable that their family is going to be relatively poor. Allura is already trying to give her all, paying off the student loans of seven of her older siblings, and it's ineluctable that eventually, she's going to go broke no matter how rich she may be at her peak. She's already trying her hardest to help their parents, who barely scrape enough cash to take care of eight younger siblings, much less pay for Lance's college tuition.

He can't be even more of a disappointment, and pile more stress, especially something as haunting as financial stress, upon his parents and sister. Yeah, some of his siblings are rich because of some of their jobs [surgeons, doctors], however, they also have the rest of their family: being a stereotypical non-American family, it means that even your sister's boyfriend's third cousin, is considered family. It's hard to help everyone.

Lance is already forgettable, being one of the middle children. He's fine. He's okay with that. It's a good role for him. He just has to be there whenever he's called for, and has to stay out of the way whenever he's not.

And maybe that's what he's habitually doing at the moment.

Avoiding trouble. He's careful not to bother Hunk, who he desperately wants to talk with more. Yeah, he has friends. But he's unable to create tight friendships, as he never parties, never goes out, because he doesn't have the money, or he has to study or go to one of his three part-time jobs. In this environment, no matter how scary, is still suitable to create a friendship with someone who can't actually escape you, and no outside problems can affect you.

He wants to build a relationship with Hunk.

But Hunk's busy, building his air-thingies.

And Pidge-

Well, at the moment, Pidge tossed a vase out the window so he's chill just sitting here with his cereal.

He'll wait.

Shiro's busy, as he somehow, _somehow_ reached contact with his previous general, despite the fact that service is very, very limited here. Wifi might be down, but somehow, Shiro's Shiro, and was able to get through.

His sister, well, she's in her focused mode. He's learned since he was little that distracting her means crashing her entire train of thought into an irreparable wreck.

Keith; well, Keith definitely hates him. At this thought, Lance is able to brood upon it more.

Fuck.

Keith doesn't seem like a bad dude. In fact, he seems pretty cool. Pretty smart, judging by the trophies bearing his name and scattered over the tables. That, and Lance didn't miss that motorcycle in the garage that he's sure is too big for Hunk, and Pidge couldn't drive it at her age. Therefore, he concluded it belonged to Keith.

So he's pretty cool.

And already, Lance gotten him to hate him. Well, while Keith is somewhat of a stiff dickface at times, that doesn't mean he isn't a pretty nice person. He's seen the way his gaze soften whenever he communicates with Shiro, or the way his lips quirk into a smirk when Pidge and Hunk scream at him, even though he replies to their theatrics with a roll of his eyes.

Thus, if he can deal with such eccentric people who carry bladed tongues of sarcasm, but not Lance, then there's something wrong with Lance himself. He's simply unlikable.

The seventh wheel.

* * *

"I did it!" Pidge screams.

Lance stares, nearly dropping his spoon out of shock. "Wait, what." He blinks, gurgling milk in his mouth because he already ate all the floating pieces of cereal from his bowl.

"I was able to connect my computer to Shiro's server on his phone, that connected him through both wireless internet and T-Mobile service. Also, seriously Shiro? T-Mobile?"

"I use T-Mobile too."

"Yeah, because you're a loser Keith."

Lance snorts into his empty bowl. Keith glowers at him from the side. "I'm sorry, but I already knew you were a heathen-"

"There is nothing wrong with pouring the cereal in after the milk-"

_"Blasphemy-"_

"Bitch shut up." Pidge slams her tiny fist onto the side of the upturned table that nobody bothered to fix. "As I was say _ing_ before I was RUDELY interrupted." She pinches the bridge of her glasses and shifts it upright for dramatic effect. "That means I can connect my laptop to his server, and as long as he still as his unlimited data, I can reach outside of the dome." She explains. "I can contact anyone from here. I mean...yeah the only problem lies in the fact that I can't charge my laptop."

Humming at that, Allura stands up. "Wait, I have someone who can help us. His name is Coran, he's a general-"

"Wait, Coran?" Shiro gapes. "He's the general of my unit." He proclaims, and Allura literally radiates at that, her eyes glittering, resembling cut sapphires. "This makes things a lot better, I was just talking to him on the phone." He adds. "He says that we're already all over the news-"

"You're right." Pidge grimaces, her eyes fixated on the faint glow of the laptop screen. "Nice to say that after just three hours we're on the news. Thanks, Shiro." She adds flatly. "We could've used people driving their cars into our wall as experiments but now you told Coran or whoever, the government is already putting up a barrier across the estimated perimeter of the dome." She scowls.

Lance wryly grins at that. 

At this, Allura clicks her tongue. "It's a good thing," she adds, and Pidge just shrugs deftly at her statement. "Moving on," she continues. "Your laptop will eventually run out of batteries, unless...do you have a generator?"

"No. Our town doesn't even have that. The only generator we could possibly have is probably with Lotor or whatever." She mumbles. "Also, Lotor shutting down his factory? I don't believe that shit." 

"He probably would, if for reputation." Lance adds offhandedly. 

"Yeah, he would, but the thing is, if he's doing some sketchy weed business, wouldn't you think he'd have it somewhere close to here but not really? In other words, the factory?"

Shrugging at that, Keith butts in. "Here's the thing, we can't really determine anything. I think we should just lay low for now, but make sure Lotor doesn't have his ass controlling the field."

* * *

And that's why Lance is currently standing underneath the glare of the sun outside, standing in the middle of the road with three other freaks and two equally weird semi-adults. Sighing, he scratches the nape of his neck. Something's off. He really can't pinpoint what, but he finds himself resigning to an unfamiliar sensation. it's like an itch he can't relief. He hates that feeling. Not remembering what he's trying to remember.

Oh. There's no air.

No wind. The dome completely shuts off outside weather. Huh. He wonders if they even have an endless supply of water, by this point. He shuts his eyes at that thought. 

No rain. No snow. No real sunshine. He's just feeling heat. Who knows if the dome would allow the rays to pass through.

"This...is really weird." Keith taps his shoulder, disturbing Lance out of his thoughts. "We look weird. Standing out here in the middle of the road." _You look weird, wearing fingerless gloves and a 2/3 cut leather jacket with 80s color. You have a fucking mullet, you emo wannabe,_ Lance judges out of habit. He's judged Allura when a few strands of her hair became grey from stress [even though she's around twenty-seven], and she just decided to dye the entirety of her hair white. 

"Shut up." Pidge hushes Keith's comment with a sharp demand. "Now, I'm busy." She adds, sitting on the curb of the pavement, in Shiro's shadow to shield away from the sun, as she continues to play around with her laptop.

"Okay. I see. She's doing important stuff. But why do we have to be outside?" Lance inquires dryly, feeling sweat evaporate off the nape of his neck. He shutters away from the rays, as he quickly ducks behind Hunk, who provides a good shade. Keith quickly follows, and edges his way into the shadow with him. He feels his side boil, as if inflamed in a sudden.

"Because, the signal is better out here." Pidge snaps. "The closer we are to the dome, the better the signal is from outside."

"And the better the view." Allura points dryly. Yep. There, on the outside perimeter of the dome, are possibly hundreds of peoples, two reporter vans, and more than fifty cars parked outside, all gathering outside. "Ignore the reporters. I hate them. So nosy."

"Aren't you one?"

"For a good cause!" Allura retorts, scuffing Lance's hair, and as it's sweaty, it sticks out in the angle she mussed it in. He whines, and edges closer to Keith, only to leap away quickly.

"Jesus!" Lance coughs. "You're hot!"

"Um." Keith blinks, his jaw unhinged and a sudden flush that wasn't there before despite the heat, blossoming across his cheekbones. 

"Gay." Pidge snorts from the sidewalk, without even looking up, as she's much too invested with her laptop.

"Is this your coming out?" Allura mutters.

"First of all, you already knew I was bi-" he knocks her sister aside, and she huffs, before tramping over to Shiro, conversing with him while glaring at him behind his back. "Secondly, of course he's hot. I tend to rub off on people. What can I say? I'm a great influence." Lance sniffs. 

"Bye." Hunk says, shuffling out of the way, and Lance screeches as he's assaulted by the sun.

"Ughhhhhh-"

* * *

"Why is there a crowd here?" Lance hisses. "Oh my God the body heat is  _horrible._ " He shrieks, trying to dodge physical contact with the sweaty horde that's surrounding Pidge. "And why is like. A third of the town here? Wow you guys barely have anyone in this town-" 

"It's Allura." Keith vaguely explains. Lance gestures for him to continue. "She's popular with the men especially. And everyone loves her in this town, so when they saw us standing out here, I guess they followed." He snorts. "I've seen it happen in markets more than once."

"Huh." Lance mutters, as he scrambles onto Hunk, who patiently allows him to. Though it's easier for the sun to find him on Hunk's shoulders, at least he's not surrounded by people he has no relation with. He doesn't do well with crowds, even if he may have a social personality. "Okay." he peers down at Keith, who being the short troll he is, is currently struggling to avoid everyone who's crushing in on them. It's as if Pidge's a vortex and everyone's surrounding her. "I guess everyone came for Allura and found Pidge."

Pidge, on the other hand, doesn't seem to mind everyone peering and observing her in such an intense manner. Unless if they get between her vision and her computer screen, which Lance feels like a spectator of a lion and their prey, as she's quick to bat them off by swiftly clawing at their faces, and even faster to spit out harsh warnings that he can't even help but lock up even though they're coming from a fourteen-year-old dwarf. "I'm BUSY!" It's becoming a rather repetitive statement from her by this point. 

Of course, that's when a static crackles from her laptop, does the hushed whisper truly fade, as they stare in anticipation at Pidge's screen. Of course, nobody really knows what she's doing, but it becomes clear when a tired visage that Lance associated with since a child, flickers on screen. "Coran!" Lance couldn't suppress his screech of delight, and to the right of Hunk, Shiro stiffens, and actually fucking  _salutes._ Allura giggles at his motion, probably finding it rather amusing, and Lance can't help but stare curiously too. Shiro only lowers his hand when Coran actually notices him with a scrutinizing gaze and squinting of eyes, and sighs:

"You're not on duty, Shiro."

"Yes sir."

"You had one job." A voice shouts from the tide of people, and a snicker breaks out. Lance smiles. Great. A town of memers. He can live with this. At that rather useless but reassuring thought, he finds himself calming down. He's been considerably okay. He has people he can trust; mainly just Allura. And Allura, who happens to have obtained a credible leadership, who seems specifically okay with Shiro and his gang, influences Lance, therefore giving him consolation in their trust. 

Well, not the citizens. 

But he trusts Shiro and the others.

"So, citizens of Garrison, I'm happy to reassure you that the government is currently spending their resources and time studying your interesting...phenomenon. We've already tested that it's possible for air to escape through, but not water. Which could be considered a problem, as you guys unfortunately are not located near an ocean or a large supply of water. But, we have spoken with the president, and he's already sent men to try and dig underneath the dome to see how far it goes. We'll see if it's possible to have you guys enter and exit from underneath the dome." He informs, and a mutter of anxiousness spreads like wildfire among the people.

The tension of excitement that was brought when Pidge connected with a person from outside, has shattered into devastation by the rather concerning news. 

"We're not sure where the dome came from, we're searching for answers..." The tired general says, bags that Lance could only describe as designer, hanging underneath his dulled eyes. Lance feels a twinge of guilt. He must've been at least 89% of the reason why Coran has wrinkles despite not being that old. "But, we've concluded that in the meantime, certainly, there's going to be some sort of rationing and portioning of resources among the citizens. We're not sure when the dome will be removed...and we can arrange a date for citizens of Garrison's families to gather outside of the dome and talk to you guys in a couple of days, if you'd like that. But, for now, I suggest you guys agree on some sort of leader, someone who's willing to watch out for you guys." He says. "Also, find a way to agriculturally grow food, because...we don't know if it's possible to ship food to inside your town."

"Anything else, sir?" Shiro asks after Coran quiets down with his advice.

"We...have a proposal. The government does happen to have a large missile. Part of the United States of America's arsenal. If it comes down to it, we want to attempt to fire the missile on the dome. So far, we concluded that its defense is thick and we believe it's safe to fire a missile at it. And if it does break through, the dome would absorb most of the impact, so we presume you'd remain safe. What do you think?"

 _We presume you'd remain safe._ A much gentler way of saying:  _we don't know for sure if it'd kill you but lets think not._

Lance nervously gnaws on his lip. Nobody here seems content. Everyone's fidgeting, some looked devastated, and few of them seem to understand the true severity. A dome. Coming out of nowhere. Bordering off their town in a physical form. 

They might never see their families again.

In a way, it's like a blessing.

Lance will never have to deal with Harvard or Yale. Nobody has to deal with anything. 

He can release all the stress of the middle child.

But.

It's really not worth it. He wants to see his family. He wants to see them happy. While he knows he's definitely not the most favored, and he's easy to forget, they'll be sad at one point. But at the same time, while being cut off from them is a huge impact it was bound to happen even without this dome situation. It's inevitable in other scenarios, such him growing up and moves away on his own [then again, they're a rather close family so they'd probably assume he'd visit each month]. 

He wants to see them.

But it's okay.

Out of his entire family, him, being the loss, is probably the easiest price compared to his other siblings. Then again, they're losing Allura. Allura, the prized child. 

Selfishly, he's rather relieved that he has her here with him.

Zoning out, he's only able to digest the last bit of Coran's advice. 

"...suggest Shiro as leader. He's reliable, caring, and had a lot tougher experiences considering how he's placed in military situations and in wars outside of America."

* * *

"Shirogane?" Lotor frowns, deciphering the entirety of the report that Rolo gave him. "This...is happening outside right now?" He didn't allow this. He wasn't even aware there was some sort of gathering, riot, something to disrupt his utopia, happening right now, in his own town. "Thank you. Leave." He mutters. At this, Rolo nods respectfully before stepping out.

Rolo.

He's an idiot. Not a bad kid, but he's a sucker up for anything that would help him gain power. Meaning that he's easy to manipulate as he literally has only one personality and goal. Foolish.

This is Lotor's one opportunity. It's like heaven presented him with an opportunity to accomplish his goal. And they even gave him the resources: a dome. The government cannot interfere, by the looks of it. It's safe to assume so, at least. He finally has his own town to lead. One to govern. No outer influences, nothing extrinsic among the people.

His own world.

From what he's heard from Rolo, the government is favoring Takashi Shirogane. An unfair way of getting Shirogane authority. Apparently, they advised the towns' people to try and follow Shirogane's lead.

That bastard. Using his dirt moves to try and get power. Cheap. Cowardly. Dumb. Lotor's already fought for a position as mayor, everyone loves him, and he should be above everyone else. And yet, Shirogane, someone who barely comes to visit this town, is practically respected by everyone because he's been in the military [like that's even helpful to America or the other countries, his ass], and now, he's using his 'military authority' to get power.

Fucker.

* * *

Keith is kind of worried over the idea of them firing a missile at the dome tomorrow morning. Nobody from the crowd rejected the idea, and some even muttered in agreement to Coran's offer. However, he's all willing for it. He wants to destroy the dome as soon as possible. "So." Pidge finally says, after ending the video call with Coran. "Anybody wants to say anything?" She adds.

Everyone in this town knows each other. After all, it's a bubble town. Everyone knows everything about everybody.

And everyone knows Pidge and her genius brain, and how she skipped three years of highschool and she's supposed to be a freshman, yet she already earned a scholarship.

Everyone respects Hunk for his creation that won multiple awards from different prestigous schools, and how many of his inventions helped the daily life of the people here. 

Many love Allura, for her zeal, a person who's practically the embodiment of courage, adventure and collectiveness. Many envy to be her, yet admire her from afar.

Keith ignores every word about him, but he takes pride in the fact that everyone at least acknowledges his ability of becoming a pilot, and how he's already accepted into a school for it. They praise him for following his brothers' footsteps, even though they're in two completely different departments in the military.

Nobody's really sure about Shiro, as he rarely visits anymore due to the mlilitary. However, many of the adults here, recall him from back in their high school days, and even now, admits that he was possibly one of the kindest and most helpful out of everyone, and besides; everyone loves a person who was on the highschool football team.

And maybe, maybe, that's why the citizens trust them.

And maybe, maybe, that's why everyone automatically turned to Shiro, and in different timbres and volumes, shouted in a wrecked chorus of different variations of: "Please help us!"

* * *

 

"What's going on here?" A loud voice calls out from the side. Keith puckers his lips. He recognizes the sickeningly sweet tone, and feels his spine arch defensively, as if the man is spitting bullets out of his mouth, rather than sugarcoated words. "Is...this a gathering?"

"Yes! Mayor Lotor, we've just talked with Coran, who's talking to the government for us!" Someone that Keith recognizes as Hermia, from the crowd, chirrups, her voice indicating relief despite all the disappointing news Coran brought with him.

"Yeah! And we're hoping we could make Shiro of some sort, our leader." Pidge boldly broadcasts. Nobody opposes that idea, and many actually warble in agreement, much to Keith's satisfaction. He struggles to keep his expression carefully blank when Lotor's smile freezes dangerously. "And, we're planning on launching a missile the next day." She adds determinedly.

"What?"

"I think you have a lot of catching up to do." Haggar murmurs from the side, and Keith narrows his eyes as the man slinks over to Lotor's side, his eyes darting from Shiro, to Keith, and then to Pidge. "Come. I'll discuss it with you in your office."

"Okay, I think we're so far, good here. Let's disperse." Pidge shouts. "Wait, but first, does anyone have no food?" A few raise their hands. "Great, stay. We'll grab some produce for you." 

Right.

They still have around twenty cartons of Chinese food left in their house.

* * *

 "A police force." 

"What?" Haggar raises a thin brow.

"We need a police force...something...someone to control the town. To make sure nothing's going wrong and unsupervised. You know, to just make sure everything in this town is running smoothly. Trust me, the people won't be against it." Lotor expounds coolly. "Of course, we can't have Shirogane on the force. He'll just try and take over. Trust me, I've dealt with this man before in my life...he's a dictator. A horrible person. Takes control over everything and is arrogant to the bone."

"Hmm." He just hums in agreement for a reply, his eyes shifting through his room. "Who'll be on the force?"

"Let's see...we have...we have...Rolo. He'll be in charge. That boy will listen to everything I say. Like a dog." He mutters. At that comparison, Haggar scoffs out of cruel amusement. "Nyma. Right? Nyma, that girl. She'll also be there...we need a few. A bunch. I'm sure Rolo has a gang, right? A gang of friends, those delinquents? Well, give them some power. It'll make them less willing to abuse it because in their position of society, nobody gives them respect. If they get respect now, they'll become better people." A definite lie, but he knows that Haggar wouldn't care. "Everything will work." He claims as he pauses his pacing.

"Anything else?" Haggar inquires curiously. This is becoming interesting for him.

"Right. We need something...something that would discredit Shirogane. Something...that would show the entire town how much of a snake he is. And...the missile. How dare they make such an important decision without consulting their mayor, at the least? I swear...these people. Only leeches off of me whenever it benefits them but runs off the next second. See if there's a way to stop that too."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this must be so boring i'm sorry.
> 
> i know, this is a long story. and nobody likes long fics. i'm working on it.


	5. fdasjkl'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -glowy purple cube in the woods  
> -pidge wants to touch it  
> -hunk says dont touch it  
> -pidge touches it anyways.
> 
> -lance might have a glove kink despite the idea of it never brought up  
> -lance is afraid of spiders and is desperate to sacrifice keith in his place/use him as a meatshield [if that tiny midget could even cover him]
> 
> -shiro. shiro my man. my main man. I'm so sorry
> 
> -rolo and nyma wh y  
> -i don't even hate yall that much

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUys I need to know  
> wh ere can i watch this show i searched voltron up for reference pics on ig to see what they look like and their personalities to see how to make them here, BUT I CANNOT FIND TEH SHOW
> 
> and no i dont have netflix
> 
> also, I can't tell. Judging by mutliple fics my friends assigned me to read, rolo and nyma are constantly shown as bad people, but from what I've heard, they're not bad, they're just kinda sometimes dicks at times?
> 
> Can someone tell me what their relationship is with voltron so I can properly write them. I don't want to make OOC characters because then that's just bad. 
> 
> I really need to watch this show.
> 
>  
> 
> ALSO  
> I may have included a joke about wooden spatulas, because it's a stereotype among my family and others like me, but I just want to say, I'm very sorry if you get offended by it, and I do not mean any harm from it. It's just that i heard that Keith was Korean? Or at least fanon-wise, therefore I included it out of a mainstream joke.
> 
> If this does really offend you, please comment about it and i'll take it down.
> 
> But I"m not gonan lie in my family we fear wooden things and slippers more than knives.

_"Find something against Shiro."_

And so that's what Rolo's doing. With shaky hands, he begins to crawl through Shiro's temporary household. This is seriously illegal.  _Then again, we're above the law. The law can't get us. And what are they going to do? Call you? The head police?_ Right. Here, underneath the dome, it's definitely under Lotor's control. Who's to say that this is now considered illegal?  _And it's not as if I've done some illegal things before..._  

And yeah, Rolo's done some pretty shitty things.

  * Accidentally set his high school-teacher's lounge room's microwave on fire while leaving a pair of metal chopsticks in the instant ramen cup
  * Sell drugs and probably ruin countless of students' lives
  * Switch out Keith's lunch in sixth grade with twelve-day-old chicken nuggets



But for some reason, this seems way worse. Even worse than the fear of getting caught when he was young and stupid and a freshman in high school, handing molly to unsuspecting students.

Even worse than that one day he made fun of Kennedy Ross in eighth grade, because when she stood up, her white shorts were stained red.

Well, not worse than the stench of this room.

He always assumed Keith would be the type to keep his living space fairly clean. Apparently not. The sofa's rumpled with blankets, implying someone slept there recently. However, crumpled bags of chips litter the blankets, as well as tiny crumbs. He wrinkles his nose. To think that Shirogane is currently bunking with these slobs.

Carefully, he slips up the stairs of the cramped apartment, pausing for any sound of noise.

He's sure that there's no one here. After all, earlier, Lotor called a town meeting, making sure everyone comes. When the missile is to hit the top of the dome, he wants to be there to support, to seem as if he's the one who suggested the idea. Rolo isn't stupid, he knows that he's doing this for positive publicity among the citizens. But that's smart and understandable. 

Rolo hates Keith, so to be honest, he's not going to look down on Lotor's tactics. He'd probably do the same too.

Stepping over a mound of wires, he steps into a room. Not Shiro's, in fact, he's sure that it belongs to Hunk. He knows who Hunk is- he also attended high school with Keith and Rolo. He clicks his tongue impatiently. Dammit. Keith and Hunk. Both graduated high school last year easily. And Rolo, who could barely afford enough money out of just cashing in drugs to idiots, couldn't even imagine in the idea of attending college.

Keith.

Hunk.

Hunk is better than Keith, but then again, he's just going to smother his hatred of Keith over onto Hunk as well. It's much easier that way. And that's what he's doing with Shiro, and that's why he's walking into a room he believes is Keith's and starts to look over the items. Now that he's in Keith's room, trepidation is beginning to ooze back into his thoughts and pores, frightening him.

He doesn't want to do this. Because even if other people can't do anything against him, since he's the police and underneath the dome, nobody else can control him, he doesn't want bad publicity. It's natural, isn't it? He doesn't care what others think about him, but he doesn't want people to pity Shiro and Keith, thinking,  _'oh, some hooligan broke into your house,'_. He doesn't want others to find any sort of way to appreciate Keith in a positive light. 

Desperate to find something, anything that'd obviously relate to Shiro, he begins to open drawers. Great. Socks. Because obviously when people see socks, they think,  _'only Shiro wears socks'._ Scowling, and being careful to replace everything as it was before, he huffs and scans the room.

There. A glittering object tossed carelessly onto the bed, over a military jacket is what breaks Rolo's fear and frustration. Great. Snagging the dog tags that jingle in his fingers, he quickly pockets them. Something small and would obviously only belong to someone like Shiro. He's relieved that he found something so quickly, as that means he gets out of here quicker. 

* * *

So. He has a necklace of dog tags. He doesn't know what to do now.

Lotor entrusted him with something so important, a job that'd certainly devalue Shiro and the rest of his family. Fuck Keith. Sighing, Rolo continues to wander down the street, feeling somewhat sick. he doesn't want to disappoint Lotor. Rolo, who had a dad always drunk off his ass, and never really had anyone to fulfill the role of a caring older sibling-

He was just lost. Alone. But then, Lotor, who appeared one day while he was sitting outside on the curb, grinding a cigarette stub underneath the sole of his torn shoes-

And offered him a job at the police station, despite his age. Now, he's built a strong sense of attachment. He doesn't want to disappoint Lotor.

But that's what he's doing right now.

Groaning, he carded his hair back as he stares at the wavering sun. "Rolo?"

Startled by the intruding voice, he whips around, his shoulders tense. "Whoa-" A familiar girl with blonde pigtails hesitantly steps back from him. "Hey." She waves. 

"Oh. Hey. Nyma." Rolo grunts. Right. She was a year below him. Nice girl. Smokes a lot. But had good grades.

"Is something wrong?"

"What? Why?" he spits defensively, automatically regretting his harsh timbre the moment Nyma stiffens, and her eyebrows pucker together as well as her lips. 

"Um. I don't know. Maybe it's because you just screamed at the sun?"

_"I didn't scream."_

* * *

"I can...help with that." Nyma says after Rolo reluctantly expounded what Lotor required for him to do. Not like he'd ever actually tell her that he's afraid of disappointment less than punishment. Or that he's afraid in the first place.

However, her stammered response spawned a click of his tongue, as he gazes at her scornfully. "This isn't something that simple. It has to be something so bad, that if people found out we planted it on Shiro, they'd actually hate us for life, and it'd follow us around for the rest of our lives, as if we've committed first-degree murder." He chides with a yawn.

"First-degree murder?" Nyma murmurs with a sense of irony behind her voice. "Yeah. Trust me. I got this."

* * *

_Cute._  

Keith snorts as Lance nearly topples over his bicycle when he threw his hands out to show-off for Hunk. "Hey!" Lance glowers at Keith, which drags a roll of his eyes out of him. "Tch."

To the side, Hunk is eyeing Lance warily, clearly skeptical about his wellbeing and if he's going to fall off the cliff. Keith wishes he would. "It's just farther up ahead..." Pidge murmurs. 

"Ughhh my legs feel like they're dying." Lance whines.

"Weak." Keith couldn't filter his mind. Well fuck. He can sense indignation and an argument crackling in the atmosphere surrounding them. He does not need to desperately grab for insults and retorts while he's in the middle of biking up the rocky terrain of a hill. 

"Excuse me? Your insults are weak." Lance sputters from the side of him. Keith's eyes trail down the boy, managing to linger on his legs. No wonder he's complaining. Slender and thin, they look as if they'd only carry him to a hair salon before breaking. 

Keith narrowly avoids a tree as he snaps his eyes back onto the road.

"Okay, I think this is far enough." Pidge murmurs, and finally, she digs the heel of her grimy sneakers into the ground, smoothly stopping her bike. Feeling rather concerned about the fact that they're on elevated ground, as they're not necessarily at the flat of the hill yet, he steps closer to Hunk, knowing that if he falls, he can drag Hunk down with him and use him as a sled. "Guys, my phone ran out of batteries. Does anyone else have one?" Her eyes flicker to them momentarily, before latching onto the sooty, charcoal splotch marking the side of the dome. 

To Keith, it just looks like a large, black, suspicious dot just hovering thousands of feet above them.

In reality, it's where the missile struck.

It failed.

The missile failed.

Which brings another anxious thought:

_What if the dome can't be broken?_

* * *

Lance pretends as if the fact a missile, a government missile, couldn't shatter the dome, doesn't bother him. He doesn't need to spread negativity around, when everyone else surely feels a sense of hopelessness too. But he can't cry about it. He's a seventeen-year-old boy heading to magical land called college where people live off of desperation and sleeping pills, and they go so far in debt that they could only buy instant ramen in a bundle so that they don't die from starvation.

He shouldn't be crying.

That's wimpy. And what sort of hallucinatory authority does he have, what sort of belief does he have, that he should cry when nobody else is? What sort of delusion is, that his problem is bigger than theirs, meaning that he should exaggerate and cry? His problem is the same as theirs; if they're not reacting in that way, he won't either. He won't unravel things into a mess or make everyone else uncomfortable by making a big deal out of something that they believe to be minor.

Maybe that's why he has his back turned to his "friends". 

Because he doesn't want them to see his glassy expression that he knows, he knows exists. He's seen it too many times reflected back at him during sleepless nights.

What he doesn't expect, is for something to break out of his self-pitying moment. Recoiling reflexively, he nearly falls onto his bike. But he didn't. Because that would be bad. "OhmyGod-" he squawks.

"Lance shut up." 

It's been less than twenty-four hours of meeting this girl and already she's utterly comfortable with hitting him with whatever she has closest to. And considering how in her hands, she has his phone, he decides to quickly snap his mouth shut.

"Uh-there's a purple-glowy-thingy there." Lance stammers.

"Great. So he's delusional too. No wonder he tricked himself into believing he's good looking." Lance rounds to Keith, who had quickly said all that in one go in a quiet voice that he  _knows_ would be loud in such a peaceful environment. Yeah, Lance knows he's kidding, but honestly, that somewhat stung. He quickly dismisses it. Stupid. He's being stupid. He knows he's not bad looking, and he's at least decent, but after years of lacking attention from others, he's pretty sure that's good enough proof there's nothing about him to look at. And perhaps he was taunted over his freckles, over his lanky and bony figure, and when he was younger, for the shiny red patches of acne. But they were bullies, and they say things that might not be true. Lance knows that. But when you're a kid and told multiple times exactly what flaws you have, Lance's self-esteem has decreased significantly to an unhealthy low.

But that's not Keith's problem. He's not going to self-pity and force Keith to feel guilty over something that honestly, Lance probably deserved after making fun of his mullet over twenty hours of meeting him. 

"Excuse me? I am good looking, my trash bags full of face masks says so." He scoffs. "I'm not delusional, and I'm not color-blind. After all, if I can see your purple eyes,  _I can see that purple thing and oh mY GOD IT JUST GOT BIGGER-"_ He huffs, choking at the end. Because, true to his words, the purple ray that highlighted the surrounding vegetation has deepened, as well as widened in birth. He shudders.

What caught his attention in the first place, and was the ominous deep lavender glow that beams from deeper in the forest.

Pidge is screaming incoherently beside him.

"We should head back." Hunk stares uneasily. "I don't...think this is a good idea." He clears his throat, but by this point, in all her short glory, Pidge is tramping into the forest. "I really don't think this is-"

"Shhh, we'll just wait. If Pidge doesn't come out in the next five minutes we're leaving because then we'd know whatever it is, is fatal." Keith suggests.

Lance cannot believe he just laughed at something Keith said.

Keith also seemed equally shocked, and his eyes quickly avert from Lance's after clapping for a second. Feeling uncomfortable by their relationship and atmosphere, Lance reached forward with a stick, and prods a leaf illuminated by the purple glow. It just rustles to the side, the light seeping through the holes created by the shift. Just like a regular light. "I think we're good. Let's go find Pidge, because if we don't come back with her..."

It's as if the three boys had a synchronized image of Shiro's eyes glowing madly as he towered over them with a wooden spatula.

Wooden spatulas.

Asian's first choice of weapon.

* * *

 

 _"OhhhhfucknonoonononO-"_  Keith barely has time to process Lance's movements, before he's toppled backwards by a weight thrown onto him. Yelping, he stumbles back, and his lucky for his back to hit a tree, to balance himself as he tries to grope the thing tossed on him.

"Uh. Lance. Buddy you okay?" Hunk hesitantly says.

_"No!"_

Keith stares. In his arms, is Lance, clawing at his jacket [which is not lame, no matter what Lance claims], and slinging his arms over his shoulders.

"Dude. Calm down. It's just a spider." Hunk snorts, as he brushes off the arachnid that had scampered up Lance's arm. "We passed by a snake earlier, and you were totally fine."

"Well, a snake isn't a spidER HUNK I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD-" His voice crescendos and jumps up octaves, and Keith groans as he practically screams the shrilly pitch into his ear. Keith glares at Hunk, who's holding out his cupped hands, cradling the intruder, towards them. "HUNK!"

"Stop, Hunk, I can't breathe." Ketih whispers as Lance burrows his face into Keith's neck, twisting his body to try and face away from his eternal nemesis sent from hell. _"HUNK!"_ He wheezes when Lance grips tightly around his neck. "Lance! Let go I can't-" A whine escapes the boy, his breathe warm and ticklish against his neck. Dammit.  _I am a very ticklish person._  

"Guys, what's taking you so long?" A feminine tone intrudes upon their 'touching' moment. "Oh. Great. Screwing in the woods." She scowls, and Keith flushes. Giving him a glance, she adds, "I didn't mean it that way, you dirty pervert."

Which is quite ironic, considering how just two weeks ago, at the prime age of seventeen, Keith finally learned what the term 'v-card' meant.

"Lance. Let go." Keith's gaze flickers down to the boy, who still hooked his chin over his shoulder, and is clinging on extremely tightly. Which is actually quite impressive, since by this point, most people wouldn't have enough strength to continue body-strangling people. Except for Shiro.

There's a reason why nobody wrestles with Shiro.

"Anyways..." Pidge snaps her fingers. "You guys are taking too long. Come, come see the thingy with me!"

"Thingy?" Hunk scrunches his eyebrows. 

"Thingy?" Lance and Keith answers in unison, Keith's tone flat-lining while Lance's perks loudly.

"Yeah, so hurry up, stop making out, and follow me before I decide to leave you here." She shouts as she begins to run off, with Hunk lumbering after her.

"I think...it'd be better if she just left all of us here." Lance mutters, his voice vibrating against Keith's neck, and he shivers, trying not to laugh. Next to his waist, his neck is the most ticklish area. Suddenly reminded about their predicament, he drops Lance, who shrieks, and steps over him. "Jerk!"

"You were the one who inconveniently jumped in my arms." Keith scoffs, being cautious to ward off any shakiness that could be detected in his tone. Storming forward, he feigns nonchalant as he rushes after Hunk. Rushes,  _not run._

Because as long as he stays farther ahead of Lance, the boy will not catch a glimpse of the redness that overtaken the paleness of his cheeks.

Quickly leaping over a shredded tree, Keith observes how the purple luminescence has reached a deeper depth of color. Finally, he stumbles by Pidge, crouching over what's presumably the source of the eerily enchanting light, and Hunk, standing behind her, both of their figures shadowed, but their awed visages illuminated from being so close to the glow. "What...is it?" Keith questions hesitantly, ignoring the light trampling of leaves behind him that's probably Lance.

"Don't know..." 

Sitting on the ground, rusty and devoid of interesting variables, is a rusty box. Something Keith would probably ignore, much less even notice. But, it's emitting the orchid light, something that even if Keith really wanted to, he couldn't ignore.

And he's very good at ignoring things.

Such as now.

Lance's hushed questions go unanswered by Keith, but Pidge is quick to respond. "Look, it doesn't seem to have any sort of solar panels, or anything where it could receive electricity..." She observes aloud. "I think it'd be safe to touch, as there aren't any open circuits...and I want to take it apart...see where the light is coming from." Her pupils sharpen, and for a moment, Keith witnesses an expression of predatory hunger.

Great.

Fun.

"I don't...think we should touch that." Hunk advises nervously.

"Touch it!" Lance hisses from behind him, his features aglow from curiosity. "Touch it, touchit touchit touchit-" Keith doesn't hesitate to clamp his hands over Lance's mouth. 

"Lick all you want, I'm wearing gloves." Keith adds. Judging by Lance's immature qualities, he's expecting a stain of saliva over them, anyways. Pidge's slender fingers delicately reaches for the contraption.

And then she collapses the moment the pads of her fingers strokes the side of the box, and Keith drops his hand at the first sound of a scream.

* * *

_"What do we do?"_ Hunk is panicking, anxiously hovering over the thrashing figure. 

"Don't touch her!" Lance screams as Keith rushes forward. Ignoring him and relying on his impulsive decisions, he tries to pin down Pidge, who's writhing and bucking underneath his grip, her mouth agape as wordless screams leave her contorted expression.  _"Keith!"_ He feels a strong grip, struggling to pull him off.

At this, Keith shrugs his hand away. Pidge is small, she's not too hard to clamp down, he'll just wait for her to tire out.

"Keith, you might injure her! She'll injure herself if you continue to hold her down-" Keith finds his instincts more credible than others. But just hearing the genuine fear that leaves the desperate countenance of Lance- he removes his hands without even being aware of it, letting the girl mutely scream and snap against the floor freely. "It's a seizure." Lance whispers, explaining. "You can't touch her. If you do, you might injure her if you hold her down wrongly." He says. His eyes associating with Keith's questioning gaze, he adds, as if to prove himself credible, "I've had...seen...a person who had seizures before." He answers. "And um. I saw someone try to hold him down, and he ended up hurting himself because he twisted his shoulder badly, and he had to be hospitalized later. It wasn't a serious injury, but still. With everything going on, it's better if she doesn't get hurt." 

"So we wait it out?" Hunk says, his normally dark visage, ashen to a sickly shade of grey. "How long will this take? What happens if she stabs herself on a stick or ohhh-"

"It'll be fine." Lance attempts to reassure Hunk, but Keith doubts it's working, as Lance himself barely seems collected himself. Feeling the need to take charge or else the other two might faint, he carefully fixates a blank look across his countenance. 

Pidge stops shaking after a couple minutes, and that's when he's finally able to crack the mask, feeling concern tense his features. 

"Ahhh...." At this, Lance slowly sinks onto his knees, relief evident in his tone that her wild actions were finally over. 

Keith quickly removes himself from Lance's downcast eyes, and quickly returned to caring for Pidge, who remains listless and limp on the ground. "I think she's fine." He nervously averts his eyes to the metal box, that continues to emit light. "We should tell Shiro about this."

* * *

 

"Um. How." Well, it's clear to see why Hunk is nervous about this. After all, they're riding down a hill, a very dangerous one, steep and winding, with an unconscious being. It was Keith's suggestion to just have her ride on Hunk's back, but what happens if she falls over while riding? "Why don't we just walk." Keith clears his throat.

"Thank God I did not want to be committed with manslaughter." Hunk respires heavily.

* * *

And so, after going down the hill, which took possibly an hour because they didn't dare to use their bikes with Pidge knocked out, they've finally reached the sidewalk that serves as an indirect entrance into the forest. "Civilization!" Lance breathes, and Keith believes that if he rolls his eyes one more time this day, they'll be permanently positioned upwards.

Starting to walk home, and feeling much more lax after leaving the dangerous path of the hill, they begin to head back to Main Street. But, due to their comfortable silence that's only interfered by their footsteps, that means Keith's ears are able to pick up on distant shouts and muffled leers. "What's going on? Of course something bad happens within the second day." He scowls. "This town in a mess," and Hunk grunts in agreement.

As they turn around the corner, they're able to find the source of the noise. A large crowd, gathered ahead, with screeches and sneers echoing down the otherwise empty street. "What's going on?" Lance inquires nervously.

As they approach the source, all three curious, they're met with disgusted expressions, something that Keith wasn't used to. He's fine with it, but it's not as if this town dislikes him, so it's certainly new. At this, and judging by the situation and environment they're in, he feels suspicion seeping into his coiling gut.

Quickly, Keith fights through the crowd, suddenly becoming concerned when everyone glares at him, as if he's scum.

As he squeezes through two elderly women, he's able to find Shiro, standing in the middle of the crowd, given a wide berth, with Nyma, crying. In between the two figures, each with shocked and tearful countenances, is a limp girl crusted with red.

It's the distinguishable scent of blood.

Shiro's eyes, drawn by Keith's movements, find his, his eyes cloudy with fear and shock. Keith knows Shiro's human. He's seen Shiro stressed out over grades, life, and afraid of many things.

But, he hasn't seen it in Shiro's eyes for so long, that it causes _him_ to feel scared.

And he finds out why.

There, within the closed fist of the corpse, and the chain hooked over her fingers, is the unmistakable shape of dog tags.

And there's only one soldier who's in this entire town, at the moment.

 _"Shiro. What's going on?"_ His voice cracks. 

"Murderer. Shiro's a murderer." Nyma sobs.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shiro.  
> my man.  
> my main man.
> 
>  
> 
> allura will appear later in the form of an angry white woman asking for the manager, it's just that she's not white and she's going to kICK DOWN LoTORS FUCKING ASS DOOr


	6. sixxesja;jk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fight me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my God so I learned that Haggar was a female.
> 
> .  
> Fuck.
> 
>  
> 
> Screw it Haggar is suddenly a male here.
> 
> Also. Guys. I LEARNED STEVEN YEUN WAS THE VOICE ACTOR OF KEITH??FFDKJD:FGJ NOBODY TOLD ME THIS?
> 
> HOLY SHIT I LOVE STEVEN AIOFJHDJF:FKJAFHJA
> 
> HE"S GLENN IN THE WALKING DIEEADD FDJF:ADJAJD AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I NEED TO FIND THIS SHOW HOW DO I WATCH VOLTRON

The words barely register in his mind, as he stares blankly at Shiro's expression of frustration and fear. Fear.

_fearfearfearfear_

The last time Keith saw that predatory emotion reveal itself, was actually last week when they ran out of Doritos.

The time before that, was nine years ago, back when he was only ten, and Shiro's parents and his adoptive parents, were killed. A car crash, from what he heard. He never saw. Because the moment he ran down the stairs and to the sound of screams in his rocket-ship pajamas, Shiro was already there. And he saw. But he wouldn't let Keith see. So, Shiro, locked him, against his will, in his room. Ergo, he never saw the last expression on his parents.

.

Keith wonders if their expressions would've matched Shiro's at the moment.

"He murdered her!" Nyma's dry sobs wrack through the air, rippling through the crowds and drawing out echoes of shouts and screams. "She was my best friend,  _he killed her!_ Look, his dogtags are in her hands! She must've fought back-" she points a trembling finger at Shiro, who has ashen to a deathly shade of grey.

Numbness, injected into his veins, is quick to spread like ink, seeping into his capillaries and into his mind and thoughts, effectively shutting down any methods of actions.

.

Huh.

Keith was always the impulsive one.

.

.

.

.

So.

Why

isn't

he

moving?

.

Why can't he move?

.

Why isn't he thinking?

.

He doesn't want to think. That's why.

He's vaguely aware that he simply just doesn't want to digest the situation.

Sluggish from the anesthesia christened 'shock', he's unable to blink, unable to respond to Shiro's desperate gaze latches onto him in a disgustingly pathetic manner. He isn't even able to comprehend it. He cannot reply. 

He

wonders

what Shiro sees on his face, to make his eyes widen in fear. 

Why is Shiro afraid of him?

Keith

wants

to

know

what

he

looks

like

* * *

"Shiro wouldn't do that!" Pidge screeches, finding herself clawing at the general direction of Rolo, who seems pale from the situation and outcome, and Slav, who's practically quaking as he timidly tries to tug Shiro away from the scene. They're arresting him. Clearly, Slav is afraid of Shiro, who's bulky and broad, and easily looks like he could shake off both Rolo and Slav [and possibly kill a slender girl, Pidge's mind so-helpfully supplies], but knowing his personality, Shiro isn't the type to necessarily fight back others if it results in hurting them directly.

"Why would Shiro even do that? Why, huh?" She finds her throat ripped raw as she spits out the words, hurling them at Lotor who had arrived at the scene mere seconds ago, with a mournful expression.  _He did it. He did it._ Now, Pidge knows that there's no evidence even directed to Lotor, even if she grasps for the thinnest possibilities. However, just staring at his fucking face, and knowing his past less-than-friendly rivalry with Shiro, she finds her anger and tears of frustration spawned from him.

"Shirogane...a good man, or so we thought." Lotor clears his throat, successfully silencing the uproar that tore from the throats of the crowd. "Kennedy...she was a good girl too." He adds, his voice cracking to emphasize his emotions towards the loss.  _Bullshit. He'd only ever cry over his loss of power._   "We'll have Rolo bury the body later, please, for now, leave and pay the girl respect." He adds.

"Why would Shiro do that? He was a good person, I don't know him well, but last time I saw him before all this happened, he was watering his tulips outside and I-" A lady that Pidge recognizes as the old lady who lives nearby, is crying into her sweater.

"I guess the PTSD from war got to him. Shame. He wasn't a bad person, you know. Please, don't be mad at him. It's not his fault." Lotor sighs theatrically.

 _And now you're going to portray him as crazy?_ Pidge is well aware of some of the trauma Shiro received from military in dangerous places-actually, she's heard Keith stay up at night, crying, and locked in his room with Shiro whenever a nightmare of his days in war, wakes both of them up. The walls are thin. She does her best to act as if she hasn't heard in the morning.

Fuck. She wants to deck Lotor in the fucking mouth and tear off his lying tongue and see him choke on it.

She will.

But for now, all she can do is stare in anger at the community, who are clinging onto Lotor's every word, as Hunk tosses her over his shoulder and begins to walk away. She lets him.

She doesn't have the strength or adrenaline to fight against Hunk. For now, her energy is being wasted away on tears.

* * *

Lance stays. He stares at Lotor, hearing his sympathetic voice continue plan; "To prevent danger, I'll assign a police force. Our good citizen, Sendak will be in charge. We'll protect you all, don't worry. Now, we'll put Shiro in jail in the meantime, so that he doesn't hurt anyone else. Let's pray he will get better."

Lance doesn't really know these people. Does Shiro seriously have PTSD? Well, he is part of the military, but he seemed fine, bright, and not a bit paranoid of an apocalyptic situation they're in, that could've reminded him of his wartime. 

"We'll worry about the food situation later, but, I hope I have all of you on my side."

Feeling rather bold, Lance shakily raises his hand, and almost loses his nerve when Lotor's honed eyes fixate onto his movement.

"Yes?"

"Um. Just wondering, are you going to be the only leader?" Lance inquires, his normally brash tone softening and cracking into pieces, that causes him to cringe inwardly. "Like, it's not like I'm going against you, I'm just curious, are there more than some leaders here? Like, you're mayor, right? Does this town have more than one authority figure?" He asks, while silently praying that he doesn't be seen as a threat to Lotor.

Even though Lance kinda wants to challenge him to a fight because fuck him.

"Hm. Yes, we do have two more people with the same level as me." Lotor answers politely, and Lance feels his anxiousness deflate, as he silently praises himself for saying his question out loud without melting into a salty ocean of tears and nervousness. "I haven't seen you around, you're from out of town, right?" He nods sharply. "Well, in this town, we have two other rulers, who will definitely accompany me with making decisions for all of your wellbeing, and they are Ulaz and Thace."  _Does no one have regular names?_   "Thank you, for showing your concern." He grins, before waving to the crowd, who began to mutter to one another as he leaves.

Weaving through the crowd, and desperately trying to block out the harsh whispers and offending words towards Shiro, he's quick to find Keith, whose gaze is calmly clapped onto the oddly curled body, his expression lost.

Blank.

Scary.

But there's something cloudy hidden underneath his gaze. Absolute indifference. But what really makes that factor scary, is where it's directed at. And the will, he doesn't  _want_ to care, he can tell. And frightening enough, he accomplished it. 

Lance has seen that countenance many times before, he has a professional experience with that, a PhD, even.

"Let's go." He grabs Keith's wrist without even thinking, and thinks that it's much easier to hold his hand when he's not trying to kill him.

* * *

 " _T_ _he older people should've known Shiro since he was a high schooler or college student!"_ Pidge is ranting, and she's already whipped off her glasses and tossed them aside somewhere, because the tears kept crusting onto the lenses. "How could they?  _They knew him, they were his friends and yet the moment something bad happens, they toss him aside!_ Like FOR FUCKING HELL DID THEY SERIOUSLY TURN ON SHIRO THAT QUICKLY?" Her voice crescendos, yet it burns out quickly into a rasp as her voice grows hoarse.

Lance is more concerned about Keith's listless state, but he's too nervous to shake the boy out of his trance. Hunk is in the kitchen, cooking pasta. Lance has an odd thought, that is definitely not appropriate at the moment, but he wonders, how long until they run out of food, or until Lotor asks for their portion of food to ration them? 

Hunk has been quiet. 

It's been three hours.

And the last voice he's heard was from Pidge.

Allura, after hearing the news, ran out of the building, her expression contorted into shock and disgust. He wished he went with her, but her countenance suggested that if he goes and ends up slowing her down, she might just throttle him. But it's been three hours, and now, he's getting scared.

Yeah, Allura can definitely protect herself and watch over her wellbeing, and she happens to be quite kickass especially with her heels, but that doesn't diminish his worries over her. Because in this environment, he's scared. He's scared for Shiro, for himself, for Pidge, for Keith, for Hunk, and for Allura. 

 _"Ugh!"_ Pidge rushed off, only to return with this complex machinery in her arms, that she sets in a gentle manner, which greatly contrasts her destructive rants, and begins to quietly tinkle with it. It's the first time within the three hours that she's been relatively silent for more than two minutes. Watching intently, wondering what could possibly calm her down, he observes with admiration and pleasure, as the machinery suddenly leaps to life. "Hey Rover." She mutters, cooing practically.

It barks.

_It barks._

_Holy shit._ Lance cautiously leans forward, teetering on the heels of his feet as he's sitting in a position with his knees huddling his chest protectively. "Rover?" He inquires curiously.

"This is Rover. He's our robot dog, he runs on solar power." She adds, her voice, guttural from screaming and crying, is now gentler as she begins to toss a small ball to the other side of the room, and the machine fluidly runs after it with such life-like excitement. "He's an AI, but unfortunately, he's not complex or humane enough-well, no robot is[ to understand emotions even though he has his own personality. Shame." She adds. "Still love him, though." She adds offhandedly as Rover comes trotting back, whirring emitted from the motions of his legs.

Cool.

Pursing his lips, Lance wonders if he should shatter the peace that has befallen on the angry midget. 

"Hey. Pidge...who are Sendak, Ulza, and Thace?"

Thankfully, she's either run out of energy [which is a lie, as he offered to wash the dishes yesterday and he found multiple cups in Pidge's makeshift room in the living area, all with a crusty ring of the dregs of coffee, circling the inside of them], and she answers with a tone washed and cleansed, with the faint remain of disgust, but no acerbic anger:

"Sendak is Sendick, Ulaz is Ul-ass, and Thace is Fuck-fhace. I mean. I guess Ulaz and Thace aren't  _that_ bad, but Thace just listens to whatever Lotor says, but he's a lot nicer to Lotor's enemies, and Ulaz, well, he's kinda quiet about things. So basically he's a doormat and people walk over him." She snorts. "Why?"

"Oh. Well that's bad. Do you want to hear some good news?"

.

Lance ignores the look of utter disgust Hunk gives him as Pidge kicks over a lamp, screaming over Lance's information.

"You don't get dinner." Hunk sniffs as he ducks as a TV remote goes flying over his head and into the kitchen.

* * *

"Keith."

" _Keith."_

"KEITH-" 

The door opens as Lance's raps get louder with each shout.  _"What?"_ Keith snarls as he shoves a glowering visage straight up into Lance's. Refusing to be intimidated, he doesn't back down despite the close proximity between them. Even though he has a feeling in this state, especially with his impulsiveness, Keith might just rip out his eyeballs. "You have to eat." He holds out the plate of pasta they reserved for Keith. His mind wanders. There's another plate in the kitchen, also saved. For Allura.

Who hasn't returned yet.

Swallowing his concerns for her, he focuses on Keith, who looks like utter shit by the way. Lance suggests face masks. They work wonders, seriously. He was against it at first, but after living with twelve sisters who love to experiment with cosmetics on him, he's learned rather crucial tips on how to hide acne quickly, which is rather convenient, especially right before school picture days.

"Here." He holds out the plate. 

"No thanks." Keith begins to slam his door shut, and flinching, Lance quickly shoves his foot and wedges it between the door and its frame. Lance's knuckles already hurt from knocking on the door for three minutes straight and he refuses to lose this opportunity. 

Because fuck Keith.

That's why.

"Whoa, wait." Lance feels a mixture of pity and irritation for Keith. It's strange. But, he definitely feels sympathy for Keith, who just lost his brother unfairly. Lance might not be very close with Shiro or Keith, compared to the others, but for some reason, despite his constant need to be paranoid for absolutely no reason, he finds himself calm around Shiro. Shiro isn't a bad guy. He just...has that gut feeling that he is a good dude. And he doesn't believe Shiro murdered that girl, Katie. Kedie. Cynthia? Karol?? Harold??? Well, he just knows instinctively that Shiro didn't murder whoever that girl was.

However, he feels slight irritation that Keith isn't communicating with them. Yeah, he knows that it's unfair to feel that way, and maybe it's because he's slightly miffed by Keith every-constant-fucking-second every time they're in the same fucking room-

But still.

He's irritated that Keith isn't talking it out with Pidge and Hunk, and Pidge is  _clearly_ falling apart as fast as the living room is, and Hunk has overcooked five pancakes at twelve in the morning within five minutes. Seriously why are they even up at this time. Well, not like Lance sleeps at this time, he's usually studying or playing Mario Kart with his older brother Holt, and his younger sister Rachel. 

But still. Talking things out.

Surely Keith, someone as smart as him, would know that this is the best way to solve this dilemma of feelings among them. They're close enough to just communicate something as touchy as this. Yeah, Lance may be left out as the fourth wheel in this conversation, but the thing is, he doesn't deserve to intrude on this private relationship when they're closer to Shiro, than he'll ever be. This isn't based off of insecurities, this is just common sense and decent respect for their closeness.

"Talk with them." Lance finally sums up his thoughts and feelings of frustration directed in all the wrong places.

"...bye-"

"Whoa wait you motherf-" Lance shoves half of his body through the gap as Keith slams the door straight into his ribs. He winces, and Keith looks only slightly apologetic, but then again, not to any further extent. Well, he guesses that having the right side of his chest crushed between metal since it was really his choice to have it happen, so he can't blame him. "I'm not done." the plate of spaghetti wobbles in his left hand, as he struggles not to drop it. Because he doesn't need to clean up more messes when the living room is basically one in at the moment.

"Go away."

"I really can't. Like. I don't think it's physically possible at the moment." Lance says, mustering the most deadpanned stare he can, while struggling to obscure the pain of slowly dying as the air is crushed out from him. It's helpful that he's slender and thin to the point where his ribs prod out. It's great. He loves eating five cans of Spaghettio's at home and gaining -12 pounds.

"Fuck you."

"Maybe after dinner."

Keith stares, and Lance actually prays he does die from suffocation.

"I'll eat the dinner."

"Wait excuse me what-"

 _"That's not what I meant._ It's to make sure you go away, and I don't commit first degree murder like my brother."

"...ouch."

"I'll talk it out." He sighs with the aura of someone who gave up.

* * *

 

"They've been in my room." Keith is shaking. Lance isn't sure if it's out of anger, disgust, fear or shock. His eyebrows furrow, and Lance yelps as the cup of perfectly good apple juice goes crashing onto the floor, spilling over the already-dirty carpet. Okay, so it's definitely anger. Well, then again, Lance already determined that after indifference and sarcasm, it seems to be one of Keith's top emotional states.

Also, it seems as if the carpet got cleaner after the sticky fluid seeped into it. Seriously. Clean. If Lance's mother was here, she'd whack all of them with a sandal and start screaming at them in Spanish to clean this pigsty before she decides to disown all of them and leave them to survive on their own in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. 

"The only way for them to get Shiro's dogtags, was going through our room. I know,  _I know_ , that Shiro left his jacket and tags on my bed, the jacket's still there!" Keith says. "What if they took something else? Huh? What if they're coming after all of us?"

At this, Pidge shakes her head, for once, not being the loudest in the room. Which is strange. Because two days earlier, Lance would've hands down said he was the loudest person he's ever met. Not that he means to be loud, he sometimes just can't control his volume and can't keep up with filtering his words and sentences. He's trying. But, within just two days, he's learned very loud volumes come from such a short, constantly irritated girl who geeks out over space, and another midget who says he's not a midget, who once walked in on Lance using the bathroom. "Shiro was the main target. After all, they could've easily pinned anything else they took, on the body and said we were accomplices. And using the fear of the people, it'd be easy to turn those cowards on us." She gnashes her teeth. "Seriously, and just this week, me and Mrs. Granger, we had a nice conversation over college! And earlier, I saw her flip off Shiro! The nerve of that backstabbing bitch!" She growls.

Lance inches away, feeling rather conscious of the fact he's the only one on the same couch as her.

"Ugh!" Pidge screams.

 _Me too._  

"I  _hate_ her!"

 _Me too._ Even though he hasn't met her yet.

"And the other thing is, Shiro's really the only threat. The second biggest threat would be you guys," Lance points, indicating to the other three in the room. "You're smart, skilled, and respected among the community-"

"Used to be, at least." Pidge mutters tartly.

"Therefore they'd listen to you, but I guess tainting Shiro's name also ruins all of you guys' reputations as well, so I guess they figured they'd just hit...four birds with one stone." Lance suggests, ignoring her input.

"Lotor. That fucking coward.  _I just_ _know_ it's him." Pidge snaps. "Fucking creep. Fucking jackass. I'll rip his ass, actually and feed it to Rover-"

"Okay, you can stop." Hunk clears his throat. "Let's get back to work, on those suits. We need to finish those. It's getting hotter. I wonder if the sun will reflect heat into here. We'll burn up into a crisp, like ants underneath a magnifying glass." He adds. Lance shudders. They don't have electricity, therefore no air conditioning. Fuck. Yeah, in Cuba they had sun, but they also had beaches. Here, they have nothing but pavement that soaks up the scorching heat.

Ew.

"We'll fix things one at a time." Hunk continues in a soothing tone. Huh. Really, Lance figures he doesn't given Hunk enough credit. Seriously, he's a Godsend. 

"I'm...going to sleep." Keith murmurs, his voice surprisingly soft, as he sways onto his two feet. 

Lance raises his eyebrows. "What about the apple juice?"

"Leave me alone. I'll clean it tomorrow."

"That'll be too long, it'll attract ants by then!"

"Clearly, our house already attracted vermin-" Keith retorts, glaring at Lance. "So I don't think by this point, it matters." He adds. 

"Vermin? Aren't you degrading yourself-"

"Lance, swear to God, shut up."

"Fight me."

"Do you really wanna be known as the guy who dies over spilt apple juice?"

"I don't need to deal with this." Lance stands up stiffly, angling his sharp chin upwards as he glowers at Keith. "And after I brought you pasta, too."

* * *

Most of the people, who recognized her, were open. And when she asked about Shirogane, their expressions darken, as they voice how they never thought that he would go as far as murdering someone, but that they guessed people really do go crazy from war, and that's a shame.

Nobody defended him.

Nobody even  _expressed_ the possibility, that maybe, just maybe,  _Shiro didn't kill her._ Nobody even looked as if they believed he was framed.

And it's not like she could ask that without them starting to question her, or their concerns going to Lotor, who might go after her because of her influence among the people. She's well aware she's respected among the community. Lotor may interpret that as a threat to his authority.

She knows Lotor.

And she's been in this town long enough to know that the only person who'd actually result to murder, is probably Lotor or his minions. Yes, there are citizens here who might be serial killers and she had never picked up on it, but for this to be pinned on Shiro, who even though she just met, she trusts, she fully believes it's only Lotor who's done this.

Fine, maybe she doesn't fully trust Shiro. She can't. Not after that traumatic incident that left her father paralyzed for her life, Lance screaming [but thankfully, she doesn't believe he even remembers it due to trauma], and her, her almost ruined, almost blind, and almost dead-

She's learned that sometimes being paranoid of everything, of everyone, might just save her life.

Is it a healthy way of living? Not necessarily, but there are times when she hones in on that instinct that she sharpened since she was young, especially when she's travelling to dangerous places to try and get the scoop on subjects that are obscured by great America's love to hide problems that don't involve them, and she knows, that this instinct is what saves her and helps her succeed.

But she trusts Shiro to an extent. She has a good sense on reading people on a psychological level, and she has proven multiple times to be successful with character studies. And she believes he's innocent, mainly because Lotor's here, and she knows Lotor's personality best.

He's the reason why her father is how he is today.

She wonders, if he even knows that she's related to one of his biggest rivals. If he even remembers her, ten years ago, as a teenager who watched her father's building go up in flames with him trapped in the toxic air of smoke, with heat engulfing him as screams complete the living image of hell. 

She has to expose him first, before he touches Lance, before he realizes how she's related to his old rival, whose corporation building he set fire to, with the actual rival and his son trapped in there, while successfully destroying his career as the fire and countless deaths have been pinned on him, with his family plummeting into an abyss of debt of lawsuits. 

Scowling, she flips through her scribbles of notes. They're all useless. They can't defend Shiro. And by now, Kennedy's body would be long gone. She doesn't know what to do. But if she's going to be stuck in a town for only God knows how long-

She wants to be stuck underneath one where a creature murders others for his own greed, isn't the sole puppeteer over the others.

At this thought, with the absolute urge to protect her brother and her newfound friends, she begins to drag her sore feet over to the sidewalk, and she knocks on the next door of the neighborhood. It's pathetic, she knows. What she's doing is pathetic. She can't even go after evidence, but that's because she doesn't know where to start. She doesn't know the people well enough, due to her job sending her to different locations. She doesn't know the people well enough due to that. She already questioned Nyma, who just sobbed over her friend, and attempted to talk to Rolo, who just arrogantly dismissed her [Allura wanted to stab him with a fork at that time, but she refrained herself], and after that, she didn't have anyone in particular to question. She had to go and try and find Salv, who just ran away at the sight of her, and even though she waited at the men's bathroom door for half an hour, she realized he crawled out the window and escaped her interrogation. She desperately tried to find other possible relations to this crime, but drawn up a blank.

She roughly rubs the tiredness out of her eyes. 

But, she plasters on a practiced, calculating smile, as the door swings open, to reveal a disgruntled.

"Hello?"

"Hi, I'm Allura and I just wanted to ask your thoughts about the scene with Shiro." She says, as she tries to identify her  ~~victim~~  new citizen. 

At this, the man's expression turns sour. "Excuse me, but I really don't want to talk about him."

Allura knows she's supposed to respect his wants, however, something about his timbre makes her add, "Do you believe Shirogane was framed?"

His eyes dilate and his lips tighten into a line so thin, it nearly disappears. 

"May I come in?" She adds in her demanding tone.

"Hm." He adds with his stiff voice and steps aside. Smiling, she enters his household.

"Thank you."


	7. seveeeeeeeeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance shouldn't be allowed near the kitchen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah guys this is kinda a boring chapter.
> 
> but if it makes you feel better-
> 
> next chapter includes maybe a half-asleep lance and keith who doesn't know what to do with a boy on his fucking bed.

_"Oh my God-"_

Fair.

That's fair. 

Lance isn't remotely offended by Hunk's screams, because it is his fault that the stove top is on fire.

"Why is there a fire in the kitchen?" Keith doesn't even sound frightened. Rather, he looks like he wants to die.

Fair.

That's fair.

 _"Lance why is there a fire on the stove?"_ Ah. So it seems that Hunk isn't necessarily good with sudden, scary situations.

Fair.

That's fair.

"Um. I was trying to boil water." Lance answers meekly.  _Now_ , Keith looks startled, as he chokes on the waterbottle he was sipping out of. "It...didn't work." he watches as Hunk shoves the flaming pot that was the source of the fire, underneath the sink. Cranking the handle, water jets out of the sink and quickly extinguishes the pot.

But the stove's still on fire.

That's a problem.

The two, standing to the side while watching Hunk rush about and try to get rid of the fire, one of them observing guiltily, while the other, shocked; and both, amused. "so...tell me, you fucking idiot, how is it that you set fire to water?" Keith asks as his coughing subsides, his eyes glinting. Lance feels somewhat nervous, as he's unable to accurately identify the steeliness of Keith's eyes.

"Hm. I guess I just happen to be too hot for the pot to handle."

Keith doesn't even bother to acknowledge his retort with a verbal answer, but rather, he dunks his bottle of water over Lance's head. For a fucking dwarf, he happens to be able to reach over Lance's head somehow. Lance sputters, shrieking as the icy water trickles underneath his shirt, and sops into his jacket.

Fair.

That's fair.

And while he thinks he does deserves the dunk of water to his head, he shouts indignantly at the retreating figure: "You know, that was a waste of water, especially in this situation! You could've at least helped Hunk with that water!"

* * *

"Rationing?" Lance mutters. Once again, they're stuck within another meeting held by Lotor.

Lance glances at Allura, whose eyes are glowering at the unsuspecting mayor, as she furiously rips to the next page of her notepad, her pencil scribbling down words without her even looking down at the paper. To his other side, Keith's jaw is clenched, and his eyes narrowed as he glowers at the ground. Pidge's face is carefully blank, as her glasses flash in the direction of Lotor, concealing her eyes, yet her emotions conveyed through her bristling posture. Hunk's eyebrows, puckered downwards and his facial features lax, has yet to even look at Lotor yet.

"I request for all of you, to bring your food here. Everyday, we'll ration food for everyone. I ask for all of your cooperation, and please, just hand us your food, we want to make things fair for everyone. We have a newly made police force, as well." Lotor articulates to the citizens. "Now, be warned, and please, do not panic, but we will have them search through your house for foods that can be portioned with everyone else's. I'm sorry if you're against this, but we just want everyone to cooperate and help, we need everyone to be a part of this community, and making sure you give in your fair share of food, is one of them."

Lance restrains a snort as his bold claim.

"I know things have been tough, especially with recent incidents-"

Lance ignores the sudden tension that causes Keith's shoulders to jerk into his side. 

"But we have no idea when this dome will disappear, therefore, for now, I ask that you're willing to trust my decisions and help full-heartedly with them."

* * *

 _"A police force!"_ Allura's scoffing, a look of incredulousness inking her expression, as if her expression was so easy to ripple, like water. "Ah. I cannot believe our people is actually  _believing_ him." She scowls, as she continues to pace the living room. "There's no way that having everyone pool in their food, and have it underneath only one person's authority, is ever a good thing. He's doing this so it's just another way of having absolute control-the people need food, and if he has the food, they'll listen to him." She bristles, her structure stiff and unwavering. 

Lance stares, captured by the rhythmic swing of her white ponytail.

"A police force. Of course they're going to thoroughly search our house, because apparently, we have close connections with a murderer." Pidge adds sardonically, her voice brittle and chipped from obvious anger.

Lance doesn't know what to say. He's sure that whatever wants to dodge the filter of his mouth and out, won't be comforting or helpful.

"If the police force comes in, and sees your robots...won't they believe it's suspicious? And if they think it's suspicious, even though it's not, Lotor will most definitely confiscate them, judging by his personality. He doesn't want anything that he doesn't know about, going on. And he'll get them, because he currently has the town's support, and...well...we're not really the people's favorites right now." Lance finally elaborates, carefully picking his words before gathering on momentum of boldness. He however, avoids explaining as to why they're not the town's favorites.

He's sure if he does, Keith won't hesitate to knock him out.

He's not that stupid.

"Oh God. When did Lotor say that he'll search the houses?" Pidge gasps, jackknifing up the couch. "Quick, guys, we have to hide everything-"

Keith is the first on his feet, running towards his room, while Hunk and Pidge lumber into their's. Lance's heart seizes, but he quickly rushes after Keith, as he doesn't trust himself near Pidge's electronics without breaking them. "Keith I'm gonna help-"

Keith is currently ripping up the floorboard of his room, revealing a small depression that runs underneath the wooden plane, and shoving a fucking sword in the hidden receptacle. 

"Keith what the fuck."

"Shiro gave it to me, now get out. I don't trust you with anything here."

"Hey, jackass, I just want to help."

"I don't  _want_ your help-"

A resounding  _ding_ echoes through the house. Doorbell. Keith freezes, his spine arching as he whips around, glaring out the door. Lance no longer detects shuffling and hushed shouts from Hunk and Pidge.

He doesn't hear Allura rushing about, trying her best to help move Pidge and Hunk's technology into the depths of their cramped closet obscured with clothes that haven't been washed since  _Mean Girls_ wasn't popular.

They're all quiet.

All holding their breath.

Waiting for what comes next.

Keith's orchid eyes fixate onto him, and he hisses,  _"open the door,"_ as an impatient series of pounding on the door, scares the quiet household.

Stumbling, Lance swings open the door, to be faced with a lean boy, who lowers his fist, and he's very glad he did. Then, he notices the holsters. This kid, with patches of shiny red acne and a lanky body with probably negative muscles-

Has a gun. Why does an overgrown teenager have a gun.

And Lance is quick to notice the rest of the police force, who are either the said cop's age or slightly older, are also brandishing tasers or pistols. And, judging by their expressions, they relish having this abused power. Huh. "Yes?" Lance asks flatly, as the boy clears his throat.

"We're here to pick up the food."

"Oh. Okay. Give me a moment." Lance begins to shut the door, but, the boy suddenly shoves his foot between the door and the frame, wedging it open. Sighing to show his obvious irritation, yet, keeping his expression blank and less than amused, he repeats with a heavier tone of annoyance, _"yes?"_

"We'd rather be invited in." The cop adds with a smirk, which pisses Lance off. It's obvious that he believes he's more powerful than Lance. Which actually may be true, but that fact has no impact on Lance's attitude or esteem at the moment.

"Well, _I'd_  rather you stay out here." He doesn't show it, but he's satisfied as the cop's smirk deflates into a frown, and his jaw works. 

"Look, you think you're hot shit, huh?"

"Yeah. I think I'm hot. The shit part, is more about you, though. And also, ever heard of privacy? You can only come in with a warrant." Lance adds, hoping that someone's listening in on this conversation, and grabbed the food.

Because they've been more concerned about hiding their shit, nobody has yet to gather up the food. And if they don't grab all the food and the force finds any other food stashed in the house, most likely, they'll be scorned, with their 'blatant act of rebelliousness' publicized.

"A warrant? Underneath Lotor's rule, we don't need a warrant." The cop leers.

"Hm. Is that so?" Lance wonders if he can risk it. He decides why the fuck not. He's already riled up and it's better if he badmouths him, instead of punching him, right? "I'm new here, and from what I've heard, Lotor was a pretty chill and smart guy. I guess not." He shrugs.

He didn't even register the pain, only the fact that he's falling. Scrabbling onto his feet, disorientated and startled, he realizes, as the boy storms in, that _he punched him. He fucking punched him._

"Police brutality. What a great ruler we have." Lance spits, careful to not overwork his throbbing jaw.

"Keep your fucking mouth shut, _now where's the food?"_ The cop is clearly agitated, and Lance's insatiable sense of needing to irritate him, calms slightly.

"Here." Allura marches in, carrying probably forty bags of groceries. "These are also from the fridge, as well. We took awhile to grab all of them because we prepared them in the basement." she adds coldly, as she dumps the bags down at the feet of a female cop. She's pretty. And if they were in any other situation than now, he'd totally hit on her. "Take it. Now leave." Allura continues, and Lance feels a spark of admiration at his sister's commanding tone. 

Being who she is, she's a practical, rational and understanding leader. And she's his sister. Someone like him, has someone as amazing as her, as a sibling. Hard to believe they're blood related, but Lance is glad either way that he has specifically her, in his life.

"Excuse me miss," Lance doesn't bother to obscure his sneer as the cop who punched him, flipped his personality into one of a charismatic sleazeball who hits on woman just over appearance. "But I'm afraid we have to search this house, out of protocol." He adds. "And, I'm not sure if you've noticed, but this is the house of Shirogane, we have to check it." 

Allura scoffs audibly, and at this, the cop appears taken back. Holy shit Lance loves his sister so fucking much. "Excuse me, but what's your name?" She inquires in a sickly sweet tone. Lance recognizes this timbre of voice. It's the one she uses whenever he's in obvious trouble, or if she wants the T.V. remote. To others it may seem elegant and gentle, but to him, he recognizes it as the voice of a siren who's willing to drag in their prey using appearance and charisma, before ripping them apart and gorging down on the limbs.

"Rolo."

"Well, Rolo, it appears that you might not be aware of this, but this house is currently underneath my care, as I'm the appointed guardian-" That never happened, and normally, he'd start bickering with Allura like the bratty younger brother he is, but for once, he keeps his mouth shut. "And as guardian, I request you please stop scaring the ones under my care, or, punching them." She adds with a clipped rhythm.

Rolo ashens.

"Miss, I don't think you understand-"

"No, I don't think you do. I do no want you in this house, and you're disrupting our curriculum. We've currently given you enough food to feed a family of fifteen, and we have no reason to hide anything from you, unless if you're implying we're currently committing treason to our authority-which mind you, is temporary." She begins, while crossing her arms, the expression of indifference unchanging. "Another thing, if you continue to question what sort of rights we have, I will drag the government into this. Because while I have no problem working underneath Lotor, who probably wants the best for us, let me enlighten you that I have communications and connection with General Coran, who you may have heard, was currently promoted to a high ranking. And if you think I can't get contact out of this dome, I trust you, I can and will. If the people see how us, civilians are being treated, as well as how Shirogane is being held responsible for a crime he obviously did not do, I'm sure that Lotor and his little police-force will not receive enough leeway." She then points at the pistol hooked in his belt.

"And how would the government respond to a police force holding guns and tasers after only a couple days underneath a dome? We obviously do not need to take such drastic measures." She adds in a passive manner, quickly changing from her acerbic tone to one a mother would use to chide a naughty child. "Now. Thank you for listening, if you'd like, repeat this to Lotor and please have him hold a meeting with me if he'd like to discuss this problem. I will see you out.

Lance doesn't attempt to even straighten the smug grin crossing his features.

* * *

 

 

"I shouldn't have done that." Allura groans into her hands.

 _"You were so fucking badass!"_ And considering how Lance never heard a single compliment escape Pidge's smirking lips, he supposes that even she's impressed by his sister's antics. "Don't regret anything!"

"I just made us targets." She adds. "Lotor will definitely be less reluctant to not turn people against us, if we continue to be difficult." she grits.

"I don't know, I know Rolo. He's a dickhead." Keith adds nonchalantly. "I'm just glad we still have water in the faucets. I wonder how long that'll last." he mutters. "The water supply will eventually drain out, because I don't know if the pipes still work."

"I don't even think Rolo understood half of what I said, he doesn't seem able to comprehend words that have more than two syllables." Allura's expression contorts into a concoction of amusement and disgust. "I really shouldn't have brought in government connections, as well. Lotor could tell the people I'm threatening their safety."

"Bullshit. The people love you." Pidge shrugs. "And besides, have you looked outside? Hundreds of police cars are parked outside of the dome, trying to keep reporters and other people away. If that's the case, if anything bad happens, we can try and contact them."

True. Lotor tested earlier, by talking on one side of the dome, to a policeman on the alternate world of theirs. The dome's material allows sound, and a slow current of air to pass through it. It's scary. To be connected, yet so disconnected. Lance is already feeling somewhat homesick. 

"And besides, Rolo ended up searching through our stuff. Didn't find anything." Hunk adds. "He has nothing to hold against us...it's just..." Lance stiffens when Hunk's eyes, creased with wrinkles, clap with his blue ones. "Lance, are you okay? Like, you got punched pretty hard."

Lance shrugs with a smile, "I'll be fine. Even with a bruise, it just makes me look cooler, okay." Lies. It fucking hurts and he has to practically force the words out of his clenched jaw and confront the unrelenting pain. Rolo could've literally punched  _anywhere_ else, but he chose a place that would sting and prevent the one thing that he's good at: talking. And talking's not even considered a good thing, more of a troublesome aspect of his personality, however, it's still the one thing he can take comfort in. He can talk and cocoon himself in words to try and protect himself from others, hiding himself within lies. Hiding his feelings and fears underneath layers of stories and smiles.

He can barely grin without wanting to shoot off his jaw now.

* * *

 

"Shut up."

Though it hurts to do so, Lance, being the impulsive guy who feels the need to defend himself from an _asshole_ , he snaps, "I can barely talk without it hurting-"

"Stop _squirming_ ," Keith demands, and that's something Lance really can't control. Seated with his legs crossed defensively in front of him, on Keith's bed, he feels the need to fidget, to move to try and provide some sense of nostalgia that'd trick and calm him into thinking nothing's strange, nothing's new. 

But there is something new. And no matter how many times he shuffles across the crinkled bedsheets, or crack his knuckles, that won't change.

He's sitting on Keith's bed, jerking his head out of Keith's calloused hands every time he attempts to grip his chin and keep his head from yanking away. In fact, he wants to request to apply the ointment that Keith is attempting to apply onto his bruise, himself, but he feels as if that would be outright rejecting Keith's 'kindness' and just be rude of him.

"Dammit. You're really an idiot. How do you even get punched by Rolo? He's usually so drunk he can't even fucking walk." Keith clicks his tongue, to convey his disappointment, and at that, Lance feels the anger that was simmering within him, begin to boil and hiss.

"I'm sorry that I was actually _doing_ something, Keef-" he's unable to pronounce anything correctly as Keith shoves the tube into his hands.

"I'm done." and like that, Keith leaves Lance alone, in his room, while storming out.

Rather than feeling guilt, indignation or fury, he feels fucking awkward. Does he leave Keith's room now? Or does he just stay here?

Doesn't matter.

Knowing he should leave pretty soon, he still flops down on the bed, and curls onto his side, tucking his head to his chest, while careful to avoid his tender jaw. He really shouldn't have said that last part. But at the same time, he really, really, really wants to fucking deck Keith across the head and throw him into the ocean.

Ocean.

He likes ocean.

His muddled brain, fuzzy from the lack of sleep, begins to create simple mindmaps with no real direction or strong connections between each thought.

He needs to sleep more.

Over the past nights, he just gazed at the ceiling, while trying to avoid the feeling of homesickness, that lapped at him.

Homesickness.

Stupid. He's stupid for even worrying about that when they're survival is at risk.

Everyone else just lost Shiro.

And who knows how Shiro's living at the moment.

And here Lance is, worried over something as bad as homesickness.

Convincing himself he's not crying as images of his mother and other siblings cross his mind, he attempts to trick himself into believing:  _I'm not homesick. I have Allura here._ But she's busy. She's stressed. She's the one who's probably feeling burdened the most with Lance, as well as the other three 'kids' of this household. He shouldn't act as if he's the one with troubles, as if his feelings are currently the most valued, while she's probably suffering a lot worse.

He's okay. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm tired and idk what im doing anymore


	8. 8888888888

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Lotor you piece of shit  
> -Also i tried hard to make this poetci  
> -lol nah i suck  
> -i just realized pidge is recognized as non-binary in thsi fandom  
> -shit  
> -sorry  
> -this is like me when i thought haggar was a 'he' but really it turned out he was a 'she'.  
> -also i love pidge so ay i focused more on her, because I didn't want this to onlky be klance central

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come at me

Keith honest to God is tired.

He's done.

He wants to go home [even though this is home].

He wants everything to go back to normal, is more like it.

He wants to not be lactose intolerant.

He wants ice cream.

He wants sleep.

So maybe that's why even though everybody else is staggering about, half dead as they did whatever they were you doing, he decided to retire for the night. 

But, that may be because he's lazy, though.

Stumbling into his room, he gazes at Red who's taken the liberty of his chair. Crouching down, he strokes his cat. He's neglected her for awhile, and hadn't really been communicating her over the week. Sighing, he caresses her lithe body, and gathering her in his arms, he's ready to collapse onto his bed with his current source of comfort-

When-

He drops the cat, and kicks the chair out of shock. He happens to have extremely intense reflexes. 

It's as if the universe is conspiring against him and forming ways to stop him from sleeping. Let him sleep. Or die. Whichever one really comes first.

Glowering at Lance, who's curled on his rumpled blankets, he considers screaming and crying all his frustrations to wake up the boy before he loses his shit accumulated by stress and fear.

Fear.

He's afraid. He's really, really scared. He would like to be that sort of character, utterly insouciance despite being humane with morals. Those characters, who stand strong and just seem _cool,_ to a seventeen-year-old's eyes, the ones that continue despite the tragedies that may tear down at whatever they rely to keep their faith, their hope and their conscience of actions and self-humanity on. He's learned that someone cannot be like that. A human will forever self-pity, or run rampant with emotions, and simply, no matter what, cannot please any sort of term for 'perfect character' as there's never a set definition; it's one of those things that'll forever be bullied by opinions.

Shiro was scared.

Allura's composure has dissolved into panic and sleep-deprivation.

Even Pidge, the feisty midget who's willing to kickass and honestly, be downright rude to protect her beliefs even though it may harm her reputation, something that every human takes pride in [and she's no exception], is currently _angrier._ She's rarely blunt to the edge of rudeness, as normally, she's just a dangerous package of sass and brains. However, when she becomes  _mean_ , without a reasonable suggestion as to why her behavior has drastically swerved towards hell's wrath, indicates that even she's starting to submerge and soak up the atmosphere of tears, hopelessness, and fear. And this, is her defense mechanism. As if snarling and snapping at everyone to warn them to stay at bay, and away from her. As if she unconsciously believes that would prevent them from noticing exactly how her shell of optimism and snark, is slowly chipping and flaking away like peeling paint of a once, grand house. And he knows once she is hellbent and mean, without any real bad relationships with her victim, it means that she's acting completely on instinct in habit. Pidge has been alone for her whole life.

He knows that.

Because Matt, who went with Shiro into the army, hasn't come back.

It's been seven years, and she, who never truly figured a cooperative and supportive way to escape the weight of emotions that shattered her as gravity crushed it down on her innocent self-

She was mean. Very mean back then. And she has nobody to rely on. He's never seen her figure out who to talk to. Who to really find support in. She has to rely on herself. She doesn't have anyone else, and he doesn't believe that she  _can_ find anyone else by this point, considering how her body practically acts on instinct to protect itself from emotions and hard situations, because it's the one thing that it done back when Matt disappeared. 

He's kinda like her.

But he had Shiro. Even though he rarely saw Shiro, he still got a family. He may have been an orphan since their parents died, but at least he got a new one. He may have been adopted, but it makes no difference. He got a new family, Shiro, and his dad. Yes, their dad died five years back, but at least he still has Shiro.

Pidge hasn't gotten a new family. He was lucky. He has no reason to complain, no reason to lash out and become even more temperamental than he naturally is, because he hasn't got the right, like she has.

He hopes she doesn't really become mean. Those periods usually last for a long time, despite being scarce within the years he's known her. 

He's very scared, and he doesn't know what to do.

And now Lance, the boy who he met days ago, and was loudly interrupting everyone's conversations with stupid puns and snide remarks with no real harmful intentions, is half dead on his bed in such a vulnerable state. Even Lance's obnoxious attitude was drastically toned by the depressing mood of fright and trepidation that clouded all of their minds and optimistic perspectives on their situation.

Why is Lance even on his bed? Pinching the bridge of his nose, he figures that he really can't blame anything on Lance, even though he'd definitely be questioning the boy once he wakes. Other than that, he supposes he really can't do anything.

He's more curious as to why Lance is here, and also, relieved that Lance  _wasn't_ dead. They all noticed the absence of a certain loud boy, but, they all assumed he was probably holed up in his room after Keith treated his jaw. 

Well, they got it partially right.

Scowling, he picks up the disgruntled Red, and apologizing to her with strokes, he sets her down on his bed. He might not be able to take up the bed, but his cat deserves the best of whatever. Basically, Red could practically kill Shiro over who gets the good dinner one day and he'd totally find her actions justifiable. However, he's tired on the other hand, and really, while he knows that sleeping won't solve any problems, in a sense, it's a temporary escape.

It's a foolish process, because sleeping won't solve anything and rather, waste his time in such an unstable situation, ergo it's definitely not the best idea; however he knows that it'll at least calm him down and soothe whatever nerves are stabbing into him.

But where does he sleep? While Allura could always just head back to her house, this afternoon, they decided it'd be easier for her to stay with them, so that they may easily communicate this way. She did go back to her house to grab a few items, and make sure there's nothing missing from her room. Lance also retrieved few items. A few graphic novels, books, and their pet mice that Allura is so fond of.

What a bad combination, considering how Red sees this house as her fortress.

Well, the mice should be safe in their cages. He thinks.

Anyways, the conclusion of their move, was that Allura slept on the couch, Hunk slept in Shiro's bed so that Lance can move into his. They believe Lance would feel more comfortable alone, rather than bunking with Keith. It's strange for Keith. To have Hunk sleeping in the same room as his, rather than Shiro.

Pidge moved off the couch, as well as cleaning around the living room and making it somewhat inhabitable, and dumped herself on Lance's floor with a sleeping bag. Of course, they weren't sure whether that was the best idea, but they resolved that once Pidge promised to not wake him up in the middle of the night if one of her inventions did catch on fire while she was in the middle of making it.

That was the best guarantee they could really bribe from Pidge, so they stuck with that. 

And Pidge and Hunk are currently tinkering with their stuff out in the living room, where Allura is making probably her fifth pot of coffee and drawing out ideas as well as trying to create an invention with Pidge, to see if she can contact Coran again.

He could always sleep on Hunk's bed. But that seems somewhat rude. Even though Hunk's bed used to be Shiro's. And he knows Hunk really won't mind, that fucking angel.

Really, Hunk doesn't deserve any of them. He deserves something better than this. 

Not like Keith will ever tell him that, though. He's not one to ruin his current blessing of Hunk's cooking.

Therefore, he carelessly tosses his blanket over Lance, while draping it over himself as well, as he seats himself on the other end of the bed. He hopes that if Lance does wake up before him, he doesn't mind. That, and also, it wouldn't be too awkward.

But really, the fatigue drowning his rational thoughts, any sort of alarm that normally would've prevented him from doing something as intimate as this with only an acquaintance, fades into a muffled scream, as sleep overtakes his senses.

* * *

He wakes up to something cold.

Lance jerks back automatically, and jackknifes up, and he dimly hears a groan in the distant. His senses still disorientated from sleep and drowsiness, he is unable to comprehend anything as his eyes fluidly adjusts to the dim lighting of wherever he is.  _Ah._ Humiliation flooding through him, when he concludes he actually did fall asleep in Keith's bed. And it's dark. Meaning it's darken to nighttime outside, therefore, most logically, someone probably seen him, and he stayed here for a long time. 

Idiot.

That is until he felt a frigid  _something_   stroke his ankle. Barely containing a scream, he yanks his legs up to his chest, and in the darkened room, he watches, horrified and ashamed, as another figure with a distinguishable  _mullet_ , sits, slouching upright on the other end of the bed of him. "Oh. Lance." Keith stretches his name through a yawn. "You're awake. Great. Get out." he adds, but his words are sluggish due to sleep, therefore lacking any sense of anger.

"Uh." Lance says dumbly.

Great.

Smooth.

"What?" Keith snaps, his normal, sharp voice returning as he's finally staggering out of his stupor.

"Your feet are cold."

* * *

Keith had for some strange reason, let Lance stay in his bed throughout the rest of the night. When he stirred from his sleep because Hunk lumbered in, equally disorderly and half-alive, he didn't even find it strange, only questioned why Hunk was staring at him weirdly. Until Hunk jabbed a finger questioningly towards Lance, who returned to sleep after Keith kicked him and told him to shut up if he stays in bed, or else he'll kick him again and rub his cold feet against him. 

Keith just shrugged. He knew the only reason why Hunk didn't bother calling in Pidge so that they could both make fun of Keith for being 'gay' [he's not gay, he swears. The most romantic feeling he ever felt was for his cat, and that was borderline creepy, according to Shiro], was because Hunk for once wasn't willing to team up with the Sadistic Pidge™ because even he was feeling this tired. 

It was as if Rolo came in, they realized, just how much power Lotor could accumulate, and what his authority means among this little town with vulnerable civilians.

And just that thought was draining their happiness, and leeching any sense of motivation to fight. 

It's depressing and discouraging, he knows. And it's not necessarily the best thing to think at this sort of time, but it's not like they're all willing to do anything.

Maybe that's why he's being so kind to an asshole like Lance. Because he simply feels as if it's useless to hold a grudge over some dude that shat in his toilet the other day.

* * *

Lance refuses to look at him. Not that Keith really cares. It's fine. However, it somewhat ticks him off, that Lance only ever murmured a quick 'thanks' to him when they both finally shrugged off their procrastination of waking up, and decided to actually do shit, and decided to just not answer again. It pisses him off, to be honest. Aren't they at least acquaintances? Or something?

Scowling, he decides to equally act as if he's not avoiding Lance but he lowkey is.

He done it often enough at school, anyways, with well, everyone.

"We've found another problem." They're all seated in the living room, with Allura holding a notepad out to them, and her hair still wrapped with a towel since just moments ago she took a shower.  "Lotor said that we'd start farming to produce food after we eat whatever we have remaining. He's planning on taking the seeds of the berries we have from our leftover food. But that's impossible. We definitely don't have enough seeds in this town to sow, and the food will take too long to grow, it's in the middle of summer, so that's good, but still. The food's not going to grow fast. And, we concluded that only a soft draft of fresh oxygen can get through the dome, and an equally slow process of having carbon dioxide exit the dome, and it's slow. And...we still have a factory of Lotor's working inside the town. The pollution won't be thin enough to get through the dome, the dome would filter the air instead. Pidge determined that most likely, the pollution will start to stick onto the inside of the dome."

Keith can understand why that might sound bad, but he doesn't fully comprehend as to why it's  _super_ bad. 

"If the pollution begins to cling onto the inside of the dome, it won't be long before it begins to cover the entire inside." Pidge takes over, expounding her discoveries. "Once that happens, it'll block the sunlight, and it'll start to clog up whatever the material the dome is made out of, therefore it'll either slow or eventually, completely stop the entire draft of air passing through the walls. We'll begin to suffocate inside the dome because fresh air can't get in, and the toxic emissions from pollution and carbon dioxide won't leave, either. And, the heat gathering on the outside might heat up the inside of the dome, and hopefully, the heat won't be trapped in here or else it'll be like living in a furnace. And, the plants won't grow if we all die from suffocation, that too. This air-pollution thing can get nasty real quick."

"So...we basically have to convince Lotor to stop his factory." Lance finishes.

"Yep." Pidge sighs.

"So...we're going to die from suffocation basically." Keith states, because there's no way Lotor would actually give up his factory. His factory is famous for producing fucks to give to people who have none.

"Yep."

"Oh."

"Yep."

"Who volunteers to go rub this in Lotor's face to show exactly how smart we are and how much shit he's exhausting into our atmosphere and his mouth?" Allura inquires, which sounds rather amusing with her British accent. It really does sound as if she's some form of royalty, a queen, who has no fear in what she spouts.

Five people raises their hand in unison, including the woman who asked herself. "Well, we all can't go. Lotor wouldn't listen to me, he hates me after the people started loving me more than him. He wouldn't take Lance seriously, because he's never seen him around. And _-"_ " she sucks a breath of air between her teeth, "your bruise. Rolo probably told Lotor about you, and he'll be able to easily tell who you are if he doesn't recognize you, and that bruise on your jaw. If Keith goes Lotor would definitely claim that Keith's doing this because of Shiro. Also I can't guarantee he won't try to knock out his teeth in the middle of talking, which could be a problem." She says.

"Don't worry, I won't let him knock out my teeth." Keith snorts at the thought.

"I didn't mean him." She replies, and he rolls his eyes. "As much as I'd like you to stab out his eyes and feed it to my mice, the citizens might not agree. And, he'd use your violence and temper against you and Shiro." Keith clicks his tongue, refusing to outright admit that she's grudgingly right.

"Pidge and Hunk, which one of you would like to go?" Allura finally boils down the dredges of their options.

"Me." Pidge says outright. "Hunk wouldn't have the heart to leap on his desk and start screaming obscenities." 

Allura has the expression of regret and doubt when Pidge said this while sauntering out the door with her plans.

The moment the door slammed shut to indicate Pidge's exit, Allura turned to them with an ashen visage: "Maybe she wasn't the best choice."

"When was she ever?" Keith shrugs, and to the side, Hunk reluctantly nods in agreement. 

* * *

The closer she got to the townhall, the stormier her thoughts.

The closer she got to a rat's proximity, the itchier her skin, as if the rodent's contagious and diseased with bile and trash.

The closer she got to Lotor, the more aroused her desire for revenge, to attempt and relieve her insatiable, vindictive attitude.

Clenching her fist, and rapping her knuckles sharply on the town hall's door, she's careful to not kill the first person to enter the room. The door flings open, to reveal a bulky man that Pidge has seen roaming the town before it went to shit. She wasn't particularly close with him, and isn't really sure what he's even christened. "Excuse me." She clears her throat of any sort of vile hatred. "I need to discuss something very important with Mayor Lotor." She snaps her tongue back and closes it behind a toothy smile, before it could lash out of control and begin to pile crude adjectives with the word, 'Lotor'.

"I'm sorry, do you have an appointment?" The man responds. He doesn't seem particularly threatening, other than his height and thick build that Pidge could never believe in the possibility of winning against him in a physical battle. However, he clearly kept his manners, and isn't like Rolo, that asshole.

"Yes."

 _No._ And she senses a temporary virus of doubt, spawning in her brain.

She ignores it.

"Okay." He says, and gestures for her to follow. The moment they walk down the hall, a woman passing by frowns nastily at them. Or is it a guy?

The androgynous elder narrows their eyes at Pidge, and in return, due to her impulsive and somewhat cheeky character, she's quick to arch her eyebrows boldly in return, with a stiff smile that conveys superiority:  _I'm better than you._ Fuck yeah, she is. "Does she have an appointment with Lotor?" They round to the other dude that Pidge would like to see arm-wrestle with Shiro one day.

"Yes." The guy christened 'Thace', says. Well. Thace vs. Shiro, that'd be an interesting documentary. Maybe she could use a video for another project for her school.

After all, she used Keith's natural reaction to hitting things while startled, to create a project for her psychology class on how different humans react to situations, and even included a video.

She got an 120% on that project.

As expected.

"Well." A wry grin widens upon the hag's fucked-up mug. "You know that I'm Lotor's right-hand man" _so they're a man? But then again that term is used often enough for both genders._ "And I'm pretty sure we didn't discuss a meeting with anyone today."

Pidge stiffens, but refuses to express any sort of emotion that'd reveal she has no idea what the fuck she's doing or getting into. She's used to wearing this mask of countenance; she done it a lot in biology class.

"It's possible that Lotor may have held a last-minute meeting. Besides, let's hear what she has to say." _Ayy, Thace you're not that bad at all._  

"She's what, seven?"

"I'm fourteen." she finally interjects, her voice contorted into a leer. At this, the witch smirks.

"Aren't you...somewhat physically challenged?" She inquires with a crooked smirk, and Pidge, who's heard multiple taunts about her height in her past, practically on second-habit says:

"And aren't you somewhat academically challenged? If you were smart you'd known that 'sass' plus 'me' would've resulted to second-degree murder."

"Murder me? Are you even large enough to step on an ant?"

"I will murder your kneecaps-"

"I can't believe I'm involving myself in an argument with a living gremlin, and I don't know which part of what I said is the most believable."

"Say good-bye to your tonsils, bitch"

Thace effectively stops the argument by standing between them. Like, she actually can't see over him, or get past him to tackle that motherfucker. 

"You, hurry up before I change my mind about this meeting." He growls, and Pidge smiles sheepishly, yet without any sort of remorse, as she follows Thace, while ignoring the dirty sneer directed towards her back.

* * *

"I see."

That's all he said.

He's not even looking at her. Instead, he's propping his elbows on his desk, and glancing at the little toys he decorated his desk with, with the same purpose as those framed, documented achievements hanging on his wall to impress others. There's a particular trophy on his desk: a golden, metal sphere, supported by thing rods screwed into a wooden pedestal.  _'Mayor of 2017'_ was engraved on the tiny plaque, embedded on the pedestal. 

She wants to shove it up his ass.

Really, she's losing any sense of temper she had barely clawed onto. Inhaling sharply, she violently jabs her glasses up the bridge of her nose, as she clicks her tongue impatiently. All Lotor done throughout the entire half hour she's been explaining to him as he intervened with stupid comments to obviously derail the focus of her topic, while making dumb excuses as to why she has to hurry up, and simply,  _looking down on her-_

And not just physically.

She can sense the boredom forcefully omitted from his very presence. He wants her to feel as if he finds her inferior. Like fucking hell her pettiness would allow a shitty attitude like that to throw her off.

"So. Would you close down the factory?" She chirrups slyly through grinding teeth. Being careful not to pulverize her teeth into paste from her grit, she shakily smiles at him, though she's sure that he can sense the overwhelming urge of blood-lust shadowing over her feigned respect.

"Well. You make a very good point."

She waits for 'it'.

She didn't see what 'it' really was.

"And I can't let the people find out about something as reasonable as that, can I?" She wasn't able to react as he crushes his heavy, golden trophy over her skull, leaving her withering on the floor.

"Dammit. Your dirty blood is painting my white carpet." the guttural voice snarls from above her, as her vision sways and dips, as the colors and shapes begin to bleed and meld into a thick goop of black spots that randomly tear through her vision. The voice is distant.

As if it's no longer there.

Or maybe she's the one who's no longer there.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please dont come at me i'm like 4'11 [still debatable] and the most i can do is bite, and i needed pidge to be hurt [probaby not dead?] because pLOT MUST GO ON
> 
> also:  
> "Keith kicked him and told him to shut up if he stays in bed, or else he'll kick him again and rub his cold feet against him."
> 
> is this a foot fetish


	9. nehinfeaf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Allura gets badass in Keith's eyes. 
> 
> Allura is great o k
> 
> Also rip Pidge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been like less than a year of me using ao3
> 
>  
> 
> and i still haven't learned how to indent.

"Does it usually take this long for a meeting?" Lance can't handle it anymore. He's pretty sure that everybody else in this room, has at least a better understanding on how the town functions-he doesn't. it's been two hours since Pidge returned. Now, he knows that rationally, it'd take a while for someone to get into an unplanned meeting with someone with political power-

But, here, where they have a limited amount of people, outside contact and just in general, work, Lotor should be relatively free. And, Lotor is just a mayor. But, it could be argued that in this apocalyptic situation, that he would technically be of highest power compared to everyone else.

They're just ants.

"I don't know. I'm getting worried, but knowing Pidge, she could've gotten distracted after finishing the meeting and decided to run off and do something." Keith suggests. "So it's understandable." He adds, for once, not being overzealous with his responses. At this, Lance nods, and just gnaws on his nails as he begins to pace. He ignores Keith's look of irritation from the rhythmic tapping of his shoes.

Well, fuck Keith. His shoes are Gucci.

He glances at the ratty sneakers he gotten from his older brother, Hans.

Yes.

Gucci. Most definitely.

"I'm starting to get worried." Hunk shouts from the kitchen. Lance hesitates, and becomes aware of the distinct smell of vanilla wafting from the corner. His tempo faltering, he steps out of his pacing, and heads towards the kitchen. "Hey Lance." Hunk smirks, and Lance beams brightly. He feels constantly homesick whenever he's here, which is stupid, considering how he has Allura here.

And Allura, though she's his much older sister, is still his main bitch. And when they were younger and he was lighter, he'd sit on her back while she did push-ups, and he'd start gossiping about that cute boy from down the hall while she began to rant about her professors. They still do that, except he no longer uses her as a cushion because he's gotten too tall and heavy for her, even though he doesn't doubt that if she wanted to, she could bench press Hunk, who's probably three times her size. 

So yeah, his homesickness is rather severe, which is dumb. Because it's just him missing home, something that only a brat or a self-conflicted, angsty emo child would complain about. So basically Keith. However, with Hunk here, he feels distinctly like home. As if Hunk was just always a part of his life, or made of his life; they just connect, their personalities resonating at the same wavelength. It's great. And so is Hunk's cooking.

"Ooh," he whistles appreciatively, and dunks his fingers into the batter, which teases a roll of his eyes from his friend. He's felt closer to Hunk than he ever has with any other friend back home. Next to his family. He loves his siblings, and Hunk already feels like one of them. "Whatcha making?" he chirrups, swirling a clean pinky into the bowl, and finally Hunk probably had enough, since he smacks his hand away from the batter.

He snorts, and licks the goopy mixture off of his fingers, suckling on them. "I'm making cupcakes, and you're contaminating them. Did you even wash your hands?" He snaps, and Lance just shrugs. "You can help me decorate them." He sighs in response, as he yanks Lance over by his skinny wrists and to the sink. "And wash your hands, you're getting bacteria into the food." He chides.

"Sweet!" Lance whoops, as Hunk cuffs him over the head good-heartedly with one of his thick arms. "Hunk, my man, my main man, I love ya, you know." He sighs theatrically as he jerks the water-stained handle of the sink upwards, and begins to lather his hands with soap underneath the stream of water.

"Who doesn't." Allura hums as she walks in, and, like the clean woman she is, dips a wooden chopstick she's stolen from the collection of soy sauce packets, disposable chopsticks and sweet sauce that Hunk and Keith saved from their splurges on Chinese fast food, into the cupcake batter. She licks the vanilla mix, and smacks her lips with obvious pleasure. "Nice. Hunk, you're my favorite." She adds, and Lance feigns hurt, which, she just rolls her eyes at.

* * *

It was fun making the cupcakes. Even Keith joined in, something that Lance was startled by. He always assumed that Keith would just go off and brood in his room with his Hot Topic merch and fingerless gloves, pretending to be Ebony Raven Dementia Way-

But no, he joined and help messily slather on icing onto the little cakes. Lance and Keith, their hands being way too shaky and sloppy, gave up using a piping bag and just began to smear shit on it and dunk it into a bowl of sprinkles. Allura, being the person she is, was able to pipe on the icing without any problem, and decorate them beautifully.

After realizing how much better Allura was at cake decorating than he was, therefore, he wiped icing onto her face.

She dunked his face into the rest of the icing.

Hunk banned all of them from the kitchen.

But, now, all of them, sitting together on the cramped couch, with cupcakes scattered across their laps on napkins....the emotions of a happy bonding moment felt shallow. It felt pointless, to be happy without the others to also experience it with them. 

Pidge still hasn't come back.

It's six.

It's been four hours since they last saw her.

The cupcake tastes drier in his mouth, at that thought.

"'Lura," Lance begins, as he swallows the crumbs roughly down his hoarse throat. "How much food do we have left?" He inquires. 

"We're lucky they left behind the baking supplies-they have no use for flour and stuff that aren't already pre-made." Allura says. "But...we don't have anything left. I received a message from one of Lotor's wannabe police-gang, they said that we can come pick up rations tomorrow at noon. That fucking gang, holding guns like they're waterguns." She scoffs angrily, crushing the moist cupcake into a sticky wad of icing and crumbs. "Anyways....Pidge still hasn't made it back. We have to go find her." She decides.

None of them disagrees.

* * *

"Pidge? She's the small girl, with the glasses, right?" Lotor confirms curiously, his timbre mixed with concern. Keith is willing to bet all of his MCR tracks that Lotor's concern is only for his reputation and not for their friend. "I'm sorry, I haven't seen her today, at all." He claims. "If I do end up seeing her, then I'll be sure to tell you." he adds offhandedly. His eyes flicker to Lance, and when Keith realizes that they're lingering on him, Keith feels instinctively protective.

Yeah, Lance is a dick most of the time, and he breaks into peoples' houses and uses their toilet without asking-

But by this point, Keith is willing to offer a temporarily alliance, or a friendship, with him. And Hunk likes him. And Allura is his older sister, and Shiro clearly likes Allura [ew], and Keith honestly has to admit that he doesn't feel anything bad or good about Lance in particular, so he's okay for being an ass half of the time.

And he has limited friends. But, he'll grudgingly admit that Lance is probably the first friend he's had that he made so quickly after their first encounter. Especially through such a strange scenario. So, he supposes, that they're friends in some sense. And he's not losing another friend to Lotor. _Another._ There's no way that Pidge just randomly 'vanished' without some involvement from Lotor's side.

"You...you're the one who Rolo punched, I assume?" Right. Lance's bruise actually worsened. After one night, the bruise blossomed farther down his supple skin, and has deepened in color to a nasty violet dabbled with green, from an angry red. "I apologize for Rolo's temper. He's a good boy, just easily angered." Lotor adds politely. "But..." his voice hardens. "I must ask you to not provoke him. That was all on you."

_Provoke him? Bitch you're provoking me right now I'll claw out your throat-_

He feels a tight clench on his wrist, and for a moment, he actually deluded himself into thinking it's Shiro. Shiro is always quick to notice Keith's sudden flares of emotions, and always stops them before he loses control and does something regrettably stupid.

His second thought that it was Pidge who's gripping onto his wrist.

Which is dumb, because if it was Pidge she would've just decked him across the head.

He glances down. It's Allura. Which actually startles him. He's not close with this lady, and he still feels uncomfortably stiff and awkward around her, despite her being nothing but helpful and a great leader. He always assumed Shiro was a natural leader, but he's beginning to see the difference between Shiro and Allura. Shiro gains followers just because they like him due to some reason, usually spawned from his generosity or just unknowingly charismatic behavior. Allura on the other hand, isn't afraid to demand for what she wants, unlike Shiro, who may feel too embarrassed or awkward to do so. She's willing to lead others without hesitation, for the greater good, no matter how bad or bossy that others may view her as.

He's noticed this when she successfully told everyone to shut up when they were all screaming this morning over no coffee.

"Mr. Lotor," Allura greets professionally, her expression cautiously blank and controlled, as she steps forward, shoving everyone back, as if they were all her children and she was the guardian of them.

Shiro used to do that.

His anger once more, fires up within him, smoking his lungs until he feels a suffocating, choking sensation. He feels the sudden need to lash out at the man glaring down at them with such an arrogant-ass expression, because of what the said monster has done to him and his friends. He stops though, when he sees the concerned glance Lance sends his way, and the look of pity that Hunk attempts to obscure on his features. Of course Hunk would notice, but he's somewhat surprised that Lance picked up on his anger.

He's always angry, of course, after all, he's still a hormonal teenager at heart-

But he didn't really believe that Lance would be so observant of his behavior when so many other things are occurring around them. Lance didn't seem like the type to really be insightful of others when other exciting things are happening- he just appears to be the type to get distracted easily. 

"Well, in place of Pidge, we wanted to show you some studies on the dome, about how your factory and pollution may be messing with it. You may doubt us, but," Keith notices that she's raising her voice.

She's attracting the attention of pedestrians who are walking by, as currently, they're standing out in the sidewalk in front of the steps of City Hall.

In front of Lotor's people.

"Remember, we have Hunk and Pidge, who though are children, already have scholarships into colleges of the Ivy League. They're very smart and can fully prove what the dome is currently doing. You have to listen to us on this." By this point, he's pretty sure Allura's making bullshit up, but, then again, it's not that strange that Pidge could hack her way into the Ivy Leagues if she decides getting a scholarship would be way too boring. 

She's garnering attention with each crescendo of her voice, and Keith has to admire Allura, placing Lotor in a vulnerable position that he's forced to listen to them, if his people pressure him to.

Keith bristles when he felt the first pebble smack against the back of his thigh, and he stiffens, but doesn't react. He doesn't want to react. Refusing to indulge into his insatiable need for vindictive revenge. Of course. People are going to pick on him over Shiro. Someone sniggers loudly from behind them. He glances backwards and sees a couple of people he actually knows from his school, gathering nearby, pointing at him as if he's some sort of display case. 

Shiro, who did everything for his people, his country.

And yet everyone easily abandons and disgraces his name out of fright. 

"I would love to listen, but let me remind you, I can't do anything that might put our country in danger. After all, you were all close with Shiro. And, though, I know, shame, it wasn't his fault he had PTSD, he still harmed one of our civilians, I can't really put any trust in all of you as well." Keith could only stare, shock caving in any sort of resistance that kept back his fear, his nervousness, his temper. 

Is he really fucking doing this?

Is he really going to drag Shiro into all of this?

"And, you guys do have Shiro's little brother. What's to say that you guys aren't planning to do something with Shiro?"

He broke the seal of Keith's anger.

* * *

He doesn't recognize the person who yanked him off of Lotor, but, Keith's anger quickly died down and was replaced by a sense of satisfaction, as well as horror spawned from remorse and 'shit, I fucked up', and he stares blankly, at Lotor, who's there, on the ground.

He just leapt on Lotor, and whacked him with the back of his heel in a kick. 

With every citizen to see, a brother of the current prisoner and madman of their town, attack their beloved mayor who's sacrificed and went through so fucking much for them.

He audibly swallows, his mouth hanging open and dry. Hunk is staring with concern and slowly shaking his head, clearly showing disapproval and worry for Keith, Allura's smooth skin is etched deep with a sophisticated frown that a boss might give to a disappointing employer, yet, her eyes reveal deep empathy and fright directed for him, and then there's Lance, whose expressions are played out clear for everyone to see. 

Lance looks as if he wants to reach out for him.

But there's a heavy hand on Lance's shoulder, and it connects to his older sister, whose jaw is working, grinding her teeth into paste.

Keith cranes his neck over his shoulder. A burly man with a stoic figure has his large, stout fingers curled over his shoulder, his blunt nails marking into his flesh. He snarls, almost savagely, resembling an animal.

An animal.

Keith has once seen a stray dog, with its tail limp beneath its haunches, with its jaws unhinged and tongue lolling out pathetically as breathy whines escape its mauled muzzle. The dog was automatically ripped apart by bullets, the metal shredding through its head, grazing through his flesh and rolling back his fur to reveal the red meat underneath, before embedding deep into its flesh. 

The dog died just like that.

His own owner killed him, and Keith was there to watch as his drunk neighbor returned home, and Keith stared at the remains of the old dog who he used to pet every day he walked home from school.

His own owner, killed his dog.

Is that how Lotor views all of them?

As scrappy dogs, low and flea-infested and lacking any worth to keep alive any longer, so that he'd rather just kill them? Like he's the owner of all of them, and them, as pathetically loyal creatures, crawl back to him each time, no matter the abuse they receive from him?

Dogs will return to their owners who were once nice to them, no matter how horrible they may be currently abused. Just like the people of this town. Because Lotor appeared nice to them at the moment, Keith doesn't doubt that they'll turn a blind eye to all the crude sketchy shit he's done, because they can't ever view their fucking boss as anything more than kind and just punishing.

_Is that how he viewed Pidge?_

He freezes, his heart stunting at that thought.

This entire time, just assumed Lotor threw Pidge into jail, which honestly didn't worry him as much because Shiro and Pidge together, in the same room, creates a rather dangerous combination. Especially considering how Pidge is nothing less than a sadist who would love to torture others while benefiting herself, and Shiro's a rather beneficial aspect in general. Together, with brains and absolute fucking muscles, they're a rather freaky combination. Pidge's attitude is scary enough for both of them.

Unless if Shiro gets triggered.

He gets easily triggered by their old neighbor Slav, who honestly drove Shiro mad after he accidentally set their lawn on fire.

But what if they're not together?

What if it's impossible for that to happen, because _Pidge is no longer alive?_  

"Kid, let's go." The rough hands that were clamping on his body, gently sets him on the ground which contrasts his harsh grip, and Keith doesn't even complain, too stricken by the prospect that Pidge is actually fucking dead.

Lotor would hesitate, right? He wouldn't really consider murder on a fourteen-year-old, who poses no real threat on the outside?

 _But then again, who's here to stop him? There's no law, no outside government, nothing to punish him for this. Here, he_ is _the government._

"Thace, please, lead these folks back. And," Lotor turns to Allura. "Please keep Mr. Kogane under control." he adds soothingly, as the people around them glare at Keith.

Keith may be submerged in this thoughts, but that doesn't mean he's aware of the looks of fright and disgust- _towards him_ , featured on the audience's expression. He can only assume what they're thinking-

_"Just like his brother."_

_"Crazy."_

_"Mad dog."_

Keith storms away, feeling small.

The others were quick to follow, but he just speeds up. He doesn't want to face them. He's too scared-he just disappointed them, and turned even more people against all of them.

Fuck.

He ruined everything.

"Wait, guys." 

Keith defensively rounds towards the source of the new voice. The man that Lotor christened Thace, has followed. "What the fuck do you want?" Keith bitterly obscures his words with anger, to try and tape together his broken voice, to hide it behind his face of fury.

"Your friend....Pidge, she was....small, right?" He asks. 

"Yeah." Allura steps up, her eyes narrowing in obvious suspicion, as they head down the sidewalk, lowering their voices. 

"I saw her earlier this afternoon. Around one, two, maybe?" He mutters, his voice light, as if mimicking how a person would converse if they were broaching a normal topic. Keith stares, captivated. "She said she had an appointment with Lotor. I brought her to his office, and....well, she never came out. I don't keep watch of the door though, I stay near the other side of Town Hall, near the treasury, so I just thought she left and I didn't see her. But when I asked the secretary, he said that he never saw a girl come out."

"Do....you have any idea where she might be?" Lance stammers, his voice cracking midway through his words. Thace shakes his head slowly, shrugging with obvious sympathy, but no personal attachment behind it. Not that it's really his fault, Keith understands. 

Allura crosses her arms defensively. "Why are you helping us?"

"She seemed important to you guys. And...she was sassy. Fun. I don't know, if she suddenly disappeared without making a huge commotion, I guess something seemed wrong. She just seems like the type of person who'd make a huge scene if something in general happened. And for her to just vanish quietly, seems weird." He then glances around. "And....I trust Lotor to some extent, but I don't trust Haggard, one of his closest friends, or well, tool I guess." He states. "Keep walking." he urges them along. "Make it seem as if I'm escorting you guys back home."

At this, Keith trots beside Hunk, no longer concerned about the nasty glares from other pedestrians.

"Another thing, they're starting to assign jobs." Thace adds quietly.

"Jobs?" Allura whips her head around quickly. "What....does that mean?" Clearly she's prepared for the worst. Well he can't really blame her. 

"He's going to start assigning everyone a position. For example, a partner of mine, Ulaz, will become a nurse."

"Is he credited for medical emergencies?" Hunk questions curiously.

"Nope," Thace clicks his tongue. "Fun enough, he's a trained mechanic. Probably gonna kill a dude because he'd think fixing a human would be the same as fixing a car." Keith stares. "Yep." he sighs. 

At this, Allura clears her throat. "I know a bit of medicine. Uncle Coran would often teach me how to use needles, medicine, and how to treat injuries, because I actually wanted to join the military before Dad refused to let me join."

Lance beams. "Uncle Coran was cool! He taught me how to use a sniper rifle-"

"He fucking did what now-" Allura's head whipped around so fast that Keith nearly trips over his feet, as her eyes hone in on her little brother, who chuckles nervously.

"Doesn't matter. Lotor doesn't trust you, he wouldn't let you near medicine or anything useful." Thace shakes his head. Allura purses her lips indignantly. "He assigns jobs in a way that he can control the people and the supplies they use. He wouldn't let you guys near any good positions or anything that might threaten him in any way." He says.

"Why are you telling us this?" Allura repeats her previous concern, her suspicion evident in her tone.

"Because. I don't like how Lotor treats others, to be frank." he says simply. Then, they stop, and Keith blinks. They're already at their house. "Go on in. Now, don't forget what we talked about." He adds, and just like that, he leaves.

* * *

"Hahhaha, I just remembered something." Lance looks up from the stale cupcake he was chewing on. They stare at him. They've been quiet for the rest of the night, after they've all showered. Hunk has returned to working on the contraption he and Pidge were tinkering with. It's almost done: apparently, with their technology, they're planning on creating a gas mask of some sort, a filter of some sort that can actually conserve oxygen and filter air with such intensity and speed, that it's practically a life source for when shit hits the fan.

Hunk's looked a lot gloomier, working on it alone.

"What?" Keith grumbles, actually glad that Lance is talking. Being the idiot he is, he'll probably lighten the mood.

"We never told Allura about the glowy thing we found in the woods."

"The....glowy thing?" ALlura cocks her eyebrows. "Dammit, I bet you touched some mushrooms in the forest or some shit." Every time he sees Allura, she's always sophisticated with an overbearing atmosphere, her posture stiff and words clipped and demanding.

Then she's around Lance and all of a sudden she cusses like a pirate, violently conks her brother on the head, and is quick to throw things.

Really it's weird.

"'Lura you horrible." Lance snorts, tossing his long legs over his sister's lap.

She stares him dead in the eyes, and stands up.

He shrieks as he goes tumbling onto the floor, and Keith snickers.

THen he stops.

If Pidge was here, she'd whip out her phone and instantly take videos.

Pidge.

Shiro.

For fuck's sake.

They're all skirting around Pidge, as if they're too afraid to approach the topic, as if it was delicate and fragile, something they better leave alone broken, than try to fix it and worsen the cracks.

"Hey. I have a horrible idea." Lance pipes up.

"You're talking as if all of your ideas aren't horrible." Allura snipes. "And also, what about the glowy-thing, in the woods?" She asks as she flops back onto the couch, her spine still majestically straight, and her legs crossing gracefully despite the fact that she's in sweatpants and a sweater that they lend to her, from Shiro's wardrobe. Allura's clothes, her only comfy ones are her pajamas because the rest of them are actually at her parents' house, the only place where she ever doesn't dress like a professional princess.

They rolled up the sleeves of Shiro's floppy clothes that remain baggy across her slimmer build, and just yanked the drawstrings to his sweatpants really tightly to make them fit. It works, because now she feels more comfortable kicking them in the shin. Her skirts restricted her movement and flexibility.

Really he's regretting letting her move freely in this house. 

Even her mice are threatening Red.

"Okay, glow-thingy next." Lance clears his throat. "My idea first. We request for a visit with Shiro in prison."

They stare. "We know Lotor's going to deny that, or he's going to have someone spy on us when we meet up with him."

"Wanna break in?" Lance suggests.

"You're right your ideas are horrible." Keith snorts. 

"Fine, glowy-thingy then. Lotor's slowly gaining control, things are happening. We won't be able to move freely as we can now, ever again. I suggest tonight we just leave to the woods and visit that glowy-thingy. Remember when Pidge touched it?" He whispers, and Keith remains immobile, recalling the memory that seems like years ago.

"What does the glowy-thingy do?" Allura questions.

"I don't know. But it's definitely important, and most likely, related to the dome." Hunk speaks from the side, carrying in Rover, which causes Red to leap off the couch, and hiss, before stalking away. "We have to go check it out." Hunk mutters, his voice trembling, probably out of fear. Keith knows that Hunk isn't keen on doing stupid things, especially if they risk any sort of endangerment towards them.

Allura hums. "We should all go. But...what if someone visits our home?"

"In the middle of the night?" Lance scrunches up his nose. She shrugs, but doesn't seem tense about this idea. She seems just a little push away to be convinced into this plan. 

"Fine. Hunk can check out the glowy-thing with his techy skills, Keith you have your weird-karate choppy skills in case if we get in trouble, so you can come as a guardian-" Lance emphasizes with a swish of his arm, and Keith envisions breaking that fucking arm. "Allura can finally see that shit for herself, and I, will be your magnificent leader who you all love and adore-"

"Great, let's go." Allura shoves Lance into the couch, muffling his screams, as she wears an expression of a dying man.

"Whoo, adventure!" Lance squawks as he finally escapes his sister's death grip.

"So I'm guessing you're coming because we need a babysitter?" Keith says flatly towards Allura, who turns her tired eyes to him.

"Yes. And if I happen to die in the woods, then whoops." she adds dryly, and Keith chokes.

Wow, and here he thought that after Shiro left, they'd be cleansed of any jokes about dying. Shiro tends to have a dark sense of humor, and sometimes, whenever Keith passes by Shiro, he'd just see his older brother staring at his bed, at his mirror, at his toilet or whatever, before releasing a random scream out of nowhere, and then leaving as if nothing happened.

Or, he'd just randomly look ahead, before saying a common and exclusively Shiro's "I-want-to-die" joke, out of nowhere, and effectively scaring everyone around him.

They just drained it down to Shiro having a dry sense of humor.

Even though there are times when Keith really worries.

He's seen Shiro having a conversation with a banana.

Multiple times.

Really, it's kinda scary.


	10. PLEASE READ THE NOTES IM BEGGING YOU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Flashbacks  
> -Hey shiro is alive [i think]  
> -and so is pidge [for now]  
> -lotor wtf thanks!!!:) for:) existing:)!:)!!!!1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ ALL OF THIS I'M BEING SERIOUS THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ME AND I HOPE YOU'LL READ ALL OF THIS
> 
> OKAY so like.. There's some really horrific and racism mentioned in Lance's flashback, where he's bullied because of his skintone, accent, and other kids, who've he witnessed been bullied for similar reasons.
> 
> And.  
> He does something that is pretty extreme because of the bully.
> 
> And I know, it's fucked up of me to write this. But honestly, I think what I wrote, was a lot better than reality. Because let's be honest, some people in society, is pretty fucked up on how they treat people with darker or different skin colors than themselves. And I know it's mainly known as white people who are the bullies, and yes, I did mainly point white people in this story, but I want to say, it's not just white people. I've seen my own ethnicity [Asian] and others, do the same. And white people aren't bad, just because they're white, remember that. It's just that they happen to be most well known for being racist, due to their past in America. It's not even if you're white, that makes you most known for racism, it's mostly if you're American and white, due to America's past. But please don't discriminate on white people just because of their past. I just want to remind you that. 
> 
> But like.  
> This flashback might get triggering. So I just want to point that out.  
> And I wrote the flashback anyways. I contemplated not putting it in, but I felt like, I didn't want to sugarcoat it. I didn't want to sugarcoat how racism is in society. It's wrong to not mention it, because I felt as if it's 'immoral' or 'horrific', because in this world, this happens in real life, on a day-to-day basis, and people are killed over their appearance/religion/sexuality/things they can't control.  
> So though I might receive backlash on this  
> I don't regret putting this down. Because really, this is an important topic, and I think having a rather disturbing event in here, will bring more light onto how bad racism is. And I think what I wrote, though it was pretty disturbing, is light, because it's fiction. In real life, it's worse. Because here, Lance doesn't think about taking his own life. But in real life, people do, because of their skin color. What Lance believes, thinking he wants to make himself 'whiter' because it's beautiful and to fit into society, is pretty messed up too, but some kids irl are raised like that.
> 
> I've met kids, who talked to me, and said 'I wished my skin was whiter' or some shit, because when they were younger, they were raised to think this way, or they were raised in a derogatory environment, that shamed them. Made them feel ashamed of how they were born. 
> 
> So please, I'm not asking you to forgive me for what I wrote in this chapter, but instead, to understand the severity of racism in our society.

"I don't hate you." Lance coughs, muttering rather vindictively, and the sour note on his tongue contrasts his words. Keith scowls at his insincere commentary. "No, really, I don't. Man, look, I-I don't hate you. Alright?" He murmurs, a shade of crimson blooming across his prominent cheekbones. "It's just....I honestly thought you were kinda an ass when I first met you." He stammers, clearly trying to explain his way of thought without coming off offensive.

Well, this is Keith. Who is oblivious. Like. Very oblivious. Like, as oblivious as how society is to everything bad happening around it that doesn't concern itself.

Therefore, he takes offense.

Very much offense.

He leaps over a fallen log gracefully, before stomping ahead loudly through the hill, acting as if he's actively searching for the glowy-thingy they found days ago, to purposefully avoid looking at Lance. 

"Yeah. Okay, whatever Lance." Keith snarls harshly, his jaw popping, working out tension from his body and for once, not through his fists. Because though Lance is clearly a jerk, Keith decides that Lance has his moments. He's seen how Lance and Hunk fluidly work together with such ease, that if an outsider saw the two together, they would've automatically assumed they grew up together, learning every secret and ever little kink that found its way through their normally smooth surface of peace and happiness. 

Not, that they met underneath apocalyptic circumstances and known each other for a couple days, tops.

And Keith has to admit, Lance and Pidge, though Pidge basically roasts his flat ass every couple minutes while giving him the look of absolute death, they honestly cooperate quite well. They both comprehend their working styles, and exactly how to maneuver around conversations that might be known as too awkward or too strange for either one, and if they did happen to hit one, they'd answer through memes or just seriousness laced with jokes, and they'd both share a smile of understanding.

It's honestly sweet.

And Red doesn't hate him.

Keith believes his cat has the best judgement.

And if Red hasn't peed on Lance's clothes yet, so be it.

But that doesn't mean Keith has to necessarily like Lance, even though he opted to not shove his fingerless-gloved hands and knocking it against Lance's jaw.

"Hey, Keith, look, I'm serious-"

"Lance, we're walking through the woods and there are mosquitoes everywhere as well as spiders and if you open your goddamn mouth one more time I'll feel obliged to do everyone a favor and shove you off the cliff."

"Shit spiders-"

"Wait, Lance-" Allura turns to him. "You literally came from Cuba. You lived around insects and animals all the time, you grew up in that environment." She gives him the look of disappointment, which Lance only responds to with a waggle of his tongue. Keith bets that this is a usual argument in their household: Allura trying to be reasonable and Lance being a continuous pile of steaming trash curdling in the sun.

"Wait. Cuban. Allura why do you have a British accent?" Hunk inquires purely. Keith noticed this too, but he just assumed Allura was adopted. So he's generally startled, as he realizes that this confirms Lance and Allura are blood-related. 

"Oh. My parents wanted me to have a British accent, so they faked one for so many years and had my siblings fake one too."

"Wait what the fuck." 

"My cousins were from London, so they were better at the accent than Lance and his generation here." She muses, glancing at Lance, who snorts. "But anyways, spiders, snakes, fish, whatever, Lance you literally lived next to an ocean for seven years of your childhood life."

"Spiders are different."

"Uh-huh." Keith utters, conveying disinterest in this conversation, and how unimpressed he is. "Shut up and keep moving." He snaps.

* * *

Keith and Lance continued bickering, and if Keith is completely honest, he's no longer really sure what their main point of argument was after ten minutes of just incoherent and constant screaming. Yet, both of them simultaneously died down as an ominous orchid glow, that's really familiar, casts its purple light onto them, before deepening and lightening colors in a rather hypnotizing dance.

"What is that?" Allura sharply inhales, as they gently skirt through the heavy vegetation, thus fully basking themselves in the glow. The machine in front of them, that Pidge touched days ago and collapsed from, is once again, omitting a gentle hum that soothes Keith, while highlighting its surroundings with purple light. "Is it safe to touch?" Her voice has dropped multiple octaves and volumes, and Keith bet it's done unconsciously. He himself also feels a need to talk in hushed words, as if it'd be disrespectful or generally dangerous to do otherwise. As if they have to tread lightly.

"Last time....Pidge touched it, but then she had some sort of seizure or somethin'." Hunk claims, his voice quivering from obvious nervousness, yet, it remains soft despite the fact he usually ends up squeaking out of fear. He's seen Hunk hit some pretty impressive bars that few sopranos can, that one day when Hunk had a meltdown when they went to the fridge and found it empty.

Allura's groomed eyebrows have furrowed downwards, clearly musing the situation. Keith glances to the right of him, where Lance is staring rather wistfully at the device itself.

Keith feels nervous by the intense gaze. 

"Lance." He hisses.

The boy doesn't stir.

Keith scowls, and flicks his fingers against the boy's surprisingly smooth skin [Keith guesses the facial masks the boy always uses and stolen from Allura's house really does work], and at this, the boy starts, his nostrils flaring from disgust. "Don't touch me with those dirty hands!"

He rolls his eyes.

"I....kinda wanna touch it." Allura swallows.

"Let's not." Hunk pitches in, echoing his previous advice to Pidge.

Keith, deadpanned, slides his eyes over to Lance, as if expecting for the boy to begin urging on his sister like the previous episode where he did the same with Pidge. "I would say no, but I kinda wanna touch it too." He admits sheepishly.

"Idiots!" Keith's lips furls back, baring teeth and pure obviousness of how he finds this situation unfathomable. How is it that Lance is so dumb? So reckless? It's as if he doesn't fucking learn, even though some clearly bad events already happened! History repeats itself, and Lance is honestly a gear of the creaking and groaning clock, that always hits the same place, the same time, and the same speed, never changing! "Lance, please be serious for once in your life!"

"Hey, Mullet-head, I am taking this seriously! And I'm not gonna actually freaking touch it, dumbass! I was just saying that I wanted to! I'm not stupid."

"Sure."

Lance clicks his tongue, to exude disdain. "What should we do?" He inquires, this time, his question and attention directed towards his sister, who's the unsaid, temporary leader of this dysfunctional but surprisingly flexible group.

"Well, if we can't touch it, what if we use another object?" She grabs a nearby twig, and taps the cube with it. Nothing falters, no seizures, and no screams. Keith releases a breath in salute to relief.  "Great, so let's use gloves to try and remove the object. We have to first find a place where we can hide this, away from the town. Or, we can bring Hunk here to work on it. But that might be too tiring-" it's like one of those things, that even someone as dense as Keith [who's heavy enough to sink, not because he can't swim like what Shiro says], could tell, that there's the unsaid plea for Hunk to try and work on it here, since Keith can count the various and multiple problems of bringing this actual thing back.

"I'm scared of touching it." Hunk whispers, and at this, Allura sympathetically yet understandingly strokes his shoulder. "Sorry." he adds, his voice self-deprecating.

"It's fine. I just....wish Coran was here. He has equipment, imagination and academic brains to solve this within a matter of days." She laughs mirthlessly, and she turns to Lance. "Remember when Uncle Coran disappeared for so long that we thought he was dead, but then one day appeared on our porch step carrying a line of fish?" She snorts, her laughter transforming from a ruthless chuckle to one of genuine humor and nostalgia.

Lance laughs.

Holy shit.

His laugh is pretty.

Keith is jealous. Keith wants to be able to laugh without Shiro looking genuinely frightened out of shock when he's too tired to function or think.

"That was amazing, I love Uncle Coran." Lance chortles, opting a cheerful countenance, that counteracts the grim and solemn atmosphere that shrouded all of them just seconds ago when they were faced with the unknown. "We can still reach him, right?" He turns to Hunk.

"Yeah, but not for long. I mean....our electricity's eventually going to run out. And I can try to create a solar panel, but that means I'd have to remake the entire phone, rewire it, to connect it to a solar panel that I'd also have to figure out how to create, and even then I don't know if it'd even work. We have service, but just few bars, and no wireless connection at all. And....honestly, I'm worried. If pollution starts sticking onto the walls, we'd lose sunlight, it'd clog the holes in the wall that let in the airflow, and many other things.

"Eventually, solar and wind power wouldn't be an option. If you have to talk to Coran, do it quick. Judging from the last time I checked, my phone was at five percent, but I connected it to my charger bank. Overall, I probably have around forty percent left of batteries on my phone." Hunk expounds efficiently, zoning in on his intellect and knowledge, and Keith notes how when questioned about a topic he's overall comfortable and knowledgeable with, his fear automatically vanishes.

Which is general with most people, but with someone as easily startled, frightened, and worry-consumed as Hunk, it's really something impressive.

"Ah." Allura frowns. "What about the suits you were making for when the air really does pollute?"

"The production is considerably slower without....Pidge....but, we're making progress. I just....don't know if we have all the parts." Hunk admits, gnawing on his bottom lip. "But really, I think that I might be able to create at least one suit. The suit has many gas tanks connected to it, and it'd last a person for awhile." He says. "For now, let's investigate this." He kneels, and the dry leaves crunch underneath his shift of weight. 

Keith watches with admiration. Though it's clear that Allura is still the authoritative and commanding figure of this clumsily mashed up group, Hunk has taken charge over this. It's his expertise, after all. "This is really complicated. I can't even see any bolts, screws or edges of where two pieces of metal would be melded or connected together of this box. And I don't think it's underneath either. It's as if it's just a box, made as a box, not constructed out of other parts."

"Um. Okay...." Keith wasn't really sure what that has to do with everything.

"But if that's the case, then why is it glowing? The light must be coming from inside, and it's not coming from underneath, implying it's also closed. So is the light just hovering around it? I don't see any sort of light bulb that'd produce it...." Hunk murmurs. "I mean, there's probably a logical explanation, I just haven't found it yet." He says. "But....I'm pretty sure that this is the reason as to why there's a dome across our town." He says with finality. "I mean, it's weird enough so let's just shove those two ideas together." He shrugs, and they all murmur in agreement, basically too lazy to come up with a more rational explanation. After all, to Keith, this one works just as well. "And...Pidge said that she saw something. When she touched it. Just didn't remember it. Do you think we should touch it?"

"You were the one who said 'no'!" Lance skitters, feigned agitation scribbling his features.

"Ha." Keith mutters. 

"I wanna touch it!" Lance volunteers.

"Wait, no let's think this through-" Keith whispers snappishly, his voice peaking high pitches out of anxiousness. Lance approaches the cube. "Allura!" From the side, Allura just continues observing, uneasiness stamped across her expression, and from Keith's call, she glances up, and just shrugs in a disheartened manner. "Allura, he's your brother!"

"But we need the information, and if Lance volunteers, then I trust him." She hisses back. In hindsight, all this is rather comical, all of them expressively waving their arms, but none of them screaming but only whispering very sharply.  "It's more like....I'd rather myself do it, but this is just like Lance with Legos. He's not gonna leggo of the Legos, as my family would say." She uncomfortably shifts her shoulders upwards, and they droop down.

Lance strokes the cube.

* * *

Bullied. Lance was bullied as kid. Bullied over his dark skin. His unusual accent that he adopted after growing up with his Cuban-originated family, and living in the said country for most of his childhood life, before being dragged to America by his parents in hopes of a better future for his generation of siblings. The way he didn't understand much English words or its grammar for a good amount of his life as a kid, it affected his ability to talk to others. He struggled with making friends, as he stammered and stuttered through words and phrases. He didn't understand how to gravitate towards the theme of society, which is apparently what controls America, and he couldn't understand or predict what most kids expect out of others in subjects to discuss, manners, or cultural similarities to connect.

He could have had it worse.

He's seen older kids, around thirteen, who would shout words that Lance wouldn't know were slurs until one day he repeated them curiously to Allura, who looked so shocked that day and absolutely horrified, that he automatically cried at her expression of utter disgust that he presumed was directed towards him back then. The victims of those slurs, had more melanin than him in their skin tissue. They had darker complexions. They had thicker and less distinguishable accents because of their native language, or how they learned to talk through their parents who didn't have the American accent. They weren't porcelain pale as most of the kids were here, or they weren't tan but white at the same time, which is apparently acceptable. Lance wasn't. His skin wasn't tan, it was mocha in its natural state. So he was different. 

Most kids in his class were kind, but many strayed away from him, because the older bullies would yank at his shirt, smack at his skin, claiming the harder they hit, maybe they could smack the brown off of him. The other kids didn't have anything personal against him.

They were just afraid that if they got involved, they would become a consistent target to the bullies.

And Lance could understand that.

But he didn't tell his family. Because every time Lance watches the other boys and girls, whose hair was kinky and different from the norm of hair in this community, which was straight and primed, he decided that if they were constantly bullied as well, then he doesn't really have a right to complain. They got it worse. They were taunted, picked and sent home crying and decorated with lacerations and scraps or smeared in mud while being told 'it matched their skintone'. Their parents were told by their discriminatory school staff, that they were the ones to pick the fights. They were the ones to provoke the other kids, because of the shade and color of their skin. They were causing disruption because the girls' hairs were in box braids, which were unacceptable since it made other kids uncomfortable. They were troublemakers because their accents were different and funny to other kids, and the fact that they fought for themselves and their heritage, was an unbearable noise to other students which lead to fists and tossed pebbles.

That it was their fault.

_It was their fault, their fault, their fault._

So Lance didn't whine about it. 

If the school wouldn't do anything to beaten kids who received worse smackings than him, why the hell would they bother with him? Lance was young. He didn't understand racial discrimination. Where he came from, there were people ranging from tan to pale, normally depending on how easily they tan, or their natural skin tone. It wasn't until he entered America, did he realize that skin does matter. He didn't know if it was wrong for people to hate on him for how he looks.

Yes, he did have a childlike observation that it was mean, and unfair. But since everyone was doing it, and since everyone else obediently looked away each time it was happening since they were also ten, and didn't understand that they were being just as hurtful as the bullies themselves by remaining blissfully oblivious, he thought, maybe it was okay. That it was fine.

He learned many things here.

Skin tone does matter, the darker you are, the more tainted you are. 

That appearance over something they should apparently be ashamed of but can't control, does matter.

At the age of ten, Lance didn't know he was doing anything wrong.

But, Lance watches the memory unfold itself in front of him.  At the current moment as an eighteen-year-old, he's standing at the carpet laid in front of his old tub, and watching his younger self, work diligently at what he used to think was right. 

He touched the cube earlier, and he's automatically transported to the scenery of where he's witnessing his ten-year-old self, dumping bleach into a tub full of lukewarm water.

Lance's skin tingles unpleasantly, and yet, he just watches on with a mindset of gross fascination. He remembers this. He thought-

_He thought_

That since his mother used bleach to remove the dark stains off of his favorite pale blue clothes-

 _That it could also wash the muddy brown off of his skin_.

Lance finally has enough, as he watches his younger self, innocently begin to add more of the powdered detergent into the milky water. Lance is watching his ten-year-old self, almost kill himself, because nobody ever taught him, that being brown was okay and beautiful. And that nobody ever taught him that bleach and detergent shouldn't be for this purpose, especially something as horrifying as this. 

He screams, wanting to scream at his old self, to stop, that it's okay, that everything's okay and that it'll get better as he meets new people who'll love him no matter his color- 

Yet no sound ricochets out of his mouth.

He can only continue to watch. He doesn't want to really stop his younger self. Lance doesn't hate his skin color anymore. But....just watching this, he feels the emotional sea of self-hatred, fear and self-disgust spawned from racism and misunderstandings crash onto him in powerful waves, washing away any common sense and self-love he developed over the years.

He just watches. 

_"Lance!"_

The door slams open, and he numbly stares at the bathroom door, where Allura ran in.  _Ha, I remember this day. Allura was maybe sixteen was going on a date....she thought I stole her eyeliner again-_

His sister, eight years ago, had walked in on her ten-year-old brother, naked and about to slide into a tub full of foggy water that dissolved a toxic amount of bleach powder as well as the liquid type, with a countenance of glee and satisfaction. Back then, he was content, and proud of himself he thought of this solution. And when Lance saw his older sister, back then, walk in, he remembers himself thinking,  _"Allura's here! She'll see that I'm doing something good!"_

Strange. Lance thought Allura was pretty, and her skin was darker and a rich chocolate color that he always liked to rub his hands against, to feel the velvety texture of her skin.

And somehow, he still thought it was okay, to hate himself even though he had the mindset that, the 'paler the better', even though he was lighter than her. And he still thought she was prettier than any other person he's ever seen, next to his Mama.

 _"Lance!"_ Another scream of his name.

Was Allura's voice always that deep even back in her teenager years?

_"For fuck's sake Lance if you don't wake up you don't get any snacks again!"_

* * *

Keith wasn't sure what spurred him to say what he did, but watching Lance convulse on the ground, as his mouth unhinges as screams tear through his throat, he just began to panic along with Lance.

Yes.

He's amazing. 

He knows.

But he screamed, shouting probably not very helpful things, but when he shouted that previous statement, the boy actually jackknifed up. "I see. He probably doesn't recognize that statement. You're breaking through whatever he's dreaming with random commentary." Allura wheezes, as she desperately attempts to fan the boy, who's accumulating copious amounts of sweat as he shivers in unison. 

"What do I do?" Keith shrieks.

"I guess say more things that are random, it might make Lance wake up, become more lucid in his thoughts, because he might think 'this isn't normal' in his dreams." Allura swallows. "But, in general, we wait it out. That's the best. I've learned this from Hannah, she's becoming a doctor. She's my second-cousin, she taught me the basics. You can't really do anything with a seizure, you have to kinda wait it out I think. I don't remember....I was seven when she taught me." Despite the fact that it's her own blood brother who's dancing on his back against the earth and clearly not okay, and though her voice is trembling ever-so-slightly with her eyes dilated, she's admirably calm.

Kind of like Shiro.

Well, Shiro's more done, than calm, really. He just kinda stops caring. But Allura's more confident. Keith isn't sure if it's a front that she's placing to boost theirs, but Keith's willing to allow himself to believe it, despite the idea it could just be feigned. Probably is. He'd be freaking out if it was Shiro trembling on the ground.

Though it's probably been a minute, it felt extremely long and tiring to Keith, but, Lance finally settles into a constant and steady shudder. But his lanky legs have stopped jerking about, and his body is finally listless as he curls up in a fetal position. "Okay, okay. We have water, Hunk can you grab the bottle from my bag-" She props Lance's head on her lap. "Keith, sit down."

"Wha-"

"I don't need two unconscious boys and you look like you're going to faint. Sit." At this, Klance knots his lips into a pout of denial, but he swiftly sits down anyways, feigning okay, though his vision sways slightly as his skull crunches inwardly at his sudden movement. But when he sits, he has to grudgingly admit in his head, he does feel slightly calmer. More grounded. 

Hunk returns, holding out a plastic waterbottle that they received the other day from the rations.

Fuck Lotor.

Keith bets it wasn't an accident that Rolo decided to give them shitty microwavable food out of everything they compiled from stealing from households. The plastic, crunched water bottle, though it's disposable and plastic, is probably the best thing they received out of their portions.

Allura had shifted Lance so that his airway is free, and that he's on his side. "Lance." She flicks his forehead, not unkindly, but Keith definitely wasn't expecting direct physical assault.

Then again, he witnessed Allura attempt murder on her own family member when Lance decided to steal her Lilo and Stitch shirt, just last night.

"'Llura." A slurred word escapes from Lance's mouth.

"Get up."

"....five more minutes."

"Three."

"Four." 

Allura stares at them with a dry look. "He'll be fine." She reassures, as she suddenly jerks him upwards by teh shoulders, and Lance's eyes fly open. Then he writhes. "La-"

"I kinda need to puke, oh shit please stop touching me-" She releases him automatically, and he collapses on his side again. "'m good."

"Uh." Allura gives a doubtful gaze.

He weakly gives her a thumbs up. "You okay?" Hunk asks softly.

"Mm. Dirt smells nice." 

Keith resists rolling his eyes, since Lance could seriously be in physical danger. Then again, Pidge recovered just fine and her body is definitely a lot more fragile than his, even though she could probably break all of their bones with a chair if she really wanted to.

"So, what'd you see?" Keith inquires curiously, and Lance scowls.

"Have some pity for me, won't'ya?" Keith flares up about that. He was actually quite concerned about Lance's wellbeing, but being exposed to Lance's snark once more, he only feels agitation and the need to reply with something equally rude. "Anyways." Lance continues before Keith could retort. "I saw...." his voice quietens. "A bad memory, ya know." 

"A bad memory?" Allura's obvious displeasure is exuded through her soft yet worried timbre. "You don't have to-"

"Nah. It's fine. It might help. It showed me...the time....you caught me about to dunk myself into a tub full of Clorox. Kinda like a swimming pool, just filled with more chemicals because I didn't understand how to use measuring cups back then, and I didn't know that a cup wasn't an actual cup." Keith is kinda lost, and he wants to just respond nastily since he's still pretty bitter from Lance's previous jab, and the fact that he's actually pretty petty, but judging by Allura's contorted expression of repulse and sorriness, for once, he reads the mood, and decides not to be a little shit.

He'll be a little shit later. Right now, his worry and unknown sympathy spawned from a feeling he's really not sure how to identify it as, overwhelms his need to be salty.

"Wait. So you nearly jumped into a tub full of Clorox? I mean, a public pool usually has a lot of chemicals. But....in a tub, that's small, so it'd be really concentrated, and that's not meant for humans....and why was your tub full of Clorox?" Hunk questions rather judgmentally, but in a humorously chiding way.

"I don't know man, I don't know."

"I bet you had something to do with it." Keith snorts.

"Yeah. I did." And for some reason, there's no pride of doing something dumb that he expects Lance to wear, there's no hint of happy amusement, only just dry and ironic comical tones lingering behind his voice. But not the good type. It's the type that someone, in a bad situation, would say to try to make light of a situation by making fun of themselves.

And it makes Keith's blood frost over. 

* * *

History repeats itself.

Keith's been thinking and experiencing that phrase a lot today.

Because when they walked back down to their town, there was another riot. Which spurred a rush of adrenaline and consternation to bubble and break through capillaries, to crash as a cataract over his emotions and drowning his nerves and thoughts. 

So, basically: 

_AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Then Keith realizes, he's being dumb. Who are they going to arrest? Shiro 2.0?  _Oh wait shit that's me, just more emo._  Keith forces his pulse to falter, slowing it down slightly before he actually dies from a heart attack. They begin to walk towards Lotor, who's already addressing the crowd. Nice to know they had more than twelve meetings in this town over just these past two days.

Because they're definitely useful.

"-an awful thief of our resources" Lotor's voice grows in volume as Keith closes the distance between him and the podium, and Keith is able to string up his words into a comprehensible statement. "Resisted arrest, and done bad to our community in such harsh times." Lotor's eyes flicker to him, probably drawn from the movement of him shoving through the crowd. Keith glowers back when their eyes clap, but, is quickly unsettled by the smirk that he receives in retaliation to his dead stare.

"What is he talking about?" Hunk asks curiously as he shyly enters the crowd, who automatically gives him a wide berth.

Keith's eyes flicker to the sudden movement of the crowd. They didn't move because Hunk happens to be taller and bigger. Or at least, that's not the main reason. Their countenances, brimmed with fright, distrust and disdain.

Is this over Shiro?"

"I'm happy to say that Katie Holt is finally jailed along with her friend, Takashi Shirogane, for committing treason and attempted murder of your town mayor, after forcing an appointment with me out of nowhere." Lotor bellows.

The faces blur together, and all Keith can see, are tiny, hunched monsters with lips screwed into the ones that spit out deceit, and judgmental and indignant eyes, and twirling and twisting expressions. 

And higher above the sea of faces-

Is on distinctive one, with silver snakes for hair, and a crown of snapped bones tied together with flesh tangled over them. The Prince of Demons is holding a staff, that resembles a mechanical arm, and wearing wire-rimmed glasses that surround circular lenses.

Red blurs through his vision, as tears fog and bleed the colors together.

Keith runs.

He fucking runs.

* * *

 Pidge is rarely frightened. Whenever she is, she's able to worm her way out of feelings by quickly solving the situation, by working her way through the problems with ease by investing her time into it.

But, in shit sort of situation, she doesn't understand the scenario. She doesn't understand anything.

She's scared.

She's alone and she's very fucking scared.

Her head aching from a dull pound that remains persistent in the back of her skull, and her throat is swelling from dehydration and her stomach is cramping from starvation-

Thus, her brain refuses to cooperate properly with all those malfunctions. And, she's definitely in a cell of some sort, a receptacle only used to hold dangerous people, or people who are just innocently jailed for no apparent reason, since society loves to do that. But, she doesn't remember how she got in here. And she's alone.

Sunlight filters through the barred window that's welded into a small sliced out pocket of cement of the wall behind her, and dust floats in. There's a flat bed that's meant for her, as well as a shitty toilet that she doubts will flush, and stained with brown streaks that stripes the curved walls of the rusty bowl. 

The last thing she truly recalls, is just heading to the town hall. Other than that, she has no vague or specific recollection of the memories that may have happened after that.

She doesn't know the situation, the stitch, or whatever the hell is truly going on, and that scares her. She likes to be in control, to be aware. It calms her down, when she's aware that she has some sense of authority that she knows she can manipulate and work with, to escape whatever suffocating ordeal she's been trapped in.

But here, she's physically and mentally grounded. A prison cell, perhaps? Judging by how one side of her tiny room is entirely barred, and definitely has the distinguishing feature of every prison cell, with the specially made door that's hammered together by elongated metal bars placed vertically in a frame.

 _I'm in jail._ Why is she in jail?

She's definitely been placed in jail overnight as a minor, to just be held for safety precautions until the police could find her parents as she lie her way out of hacking and fraud, since nobody would believe a hardworking and studious girl like her would do crazy shit like this. But, having no memories of why or how she's here, scares the fucking crap out of her.

Pacing out of habit, she attempts to try and unlock any memories she may have lost. If she has any, that is.

"Pidge?"

Jarred out of her nervousness and wracking state of mind, Pidge nearly trips over her own feet, as the shackles still cuffed around her hands, jingle behind her back. "Wha-"

Across of the dimly lit hallway that oozes of mold and humidity her cell is positioned in, she sees a familiar figure, hunched over in another cell.

"Shiro?"

She doesn't really see him after that second.

She just sees the crimson splatters, that underneath the shitty, yellow and flickering lights that are the only source that could illuminate this entire floor, appear crusty and brown.

 _"Shiro?"_ She echoes, softer this time.

He doesn't reply.

A broken man, does though.

* * *

 Allura recalls just how two days ago, she entered a strange elder's house, and listened to them as they admitted that it's true, they didn't really believe Shiro would've committed the murder, mainly because of their distrust towards Lotor.

And after five minutes of having tea and stale biscuits, he shooed her out of the house with a yellow envelope.

She left it untouched, as she believed it was personal information, even though no real address or information printed on the outside of the large sleeve, that would actually imply to what it may contain. Staring at the envelope, which was tucked underneath the pillow she sleeps with, she glances around guiltily, feeling rather wrong for even considering to fall into temptation of learning the contents. She refused to open it, as she assumed it was something the man wanted her to just simply send, as he did say,  _"Give this to Mayor Ulaz"_. Yes, Ulaz was a mayor. Technically still is, it's just that....he's never been really considered as one. Everyone preferred Lotor, and though it remained unsaid and unofficial, Lotor runs everything. Ulaz fades to the background, and is just there to agree with every decision Lotor makes, supporting it and adding in his vote that'd help definitely uplift Lotor positively whenever there is a voted decision needed to made for this town. He's a mindless puppet, with Lotor as the puppeteer.

But Allura's tired.

She's scared.

She's frightened.

And Goddamn, is she done.

She tears open the envelope. She can't deal with Ulaz's cowardly bullshit that revolves around fucking Lotor. Lotor. The fucking bastard who burnt down her dad's company, the bastard who  _left her father in a coma, leaving their family heartbroken, unemployed and broke and forced through humiliation and defeat-_  

She viciously rips the papers out of the envelope, her knuckles drained of pigment and pale from the intense clench of the papers. She shuffles through them, and begin to read them.

Her anger dies.

And is easily replaced by disbelief and utter fucking relief.

Even one page of these total three, is enough for her.

Page One, list of transaction of drugs sold underneath the company name of Galra. _Lotor's_  company.

Page Number Two, paragraphs and evidence of communication through some messenger, that specifically state the selling of illegal and definitely horrifying drugs with equally disastrous and unspeakable side effects on the black market.

Page Number Three, more emails. But this time, talking about murders. About how Lotor talked with his father, Zarkon, about murdering a famous and beloved politician back in 2010, who went missing suspiciously after claiming he'll run in the election Lotor was participating in.

 _"I'm old, Honey. These emails....I'm tired of hiding them. I don't care if my name's on all of them._ " Slav said, after introducing himself and inviting Allura into his house. Slav was the old man who looked tired, his face etched with obvious drug use and calamity, but, sadness. Sorrow and fatigue. Slav's name is in all of them, as a drug user who bought from Galra, as the user of the drugs that were discussed in the emails with Lotor, that were written by Slav himself. And Slav, as the man hired by Lotor, to kill his brother, who was the politician mentioned in the third page.

When Allura asked why is he confessing all of this when surely he'll be held accountable for being involved more than illegal deeds-

He said:

_"Been a coward all my life. I still am, after all, aren't I only giving myself up after thinking I'm going to die before prosecuted? Besides. Might as well do something good in my life for once."_

.

.

.

"Allura...are....you crying?" Lance whispers, walking by in his favorite _Power Rangers_ t-shirt he insists on wearing as his pajamas, after stealing it from Allura's wardrobe as a teenager.

He found his sister, around two in the morning, on the couch, clutching what seems to be reports in her hand, with tears streaking down her tired visage. 

"Lance. Go to sleep. And yeah, I'm crying. But....it's good news. Good news, trust me. But....for now, go to sleep. I need sleep to, I need to think this through....no hasty decisions now." She breathes, her inhales sharp and her exhales shaky. But the respires leave the mouth that's curled in a grin of happiness, one of gratefulness and gratitude.

"....Did I do something I wasn't aware of and you're showing mercy because you remember how Mama told you to not murder your little brother?" He squints.

"For once, no." 


	11. uyghul;ij

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> happy things happen!  
> lol psYCH

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hahah i just used a relatively same summary for another one of my fics for this one above^^^  
> I'm in a rather happy mood to just throw in angst for no good reason.

Pidge, throughout the night, as Shiro laid positioned against the wall, awake and listless, as she whispered over how the others were doing. What happened, while reluctantly incorporating the bad things that occurred, even though she's concerned for Shiro's mental wellness and how bad news could possibly weight down on his stress. But she supposes it's better for him to know rather than to remain oblivious. 

"Anything else?"

Pidge shakes her head, before hesitating, and then snapping her knuckles, tittering a little before concluding that she might as well mention it, since it's definitely not normal, even though it seemed so insignificant considering all the other events. "In the woods, this was before everything, by the way-we-Hunk, Lance and I, found this weird....box thing. Was glowing purple. When I touched it, I got a bad memory." She confesses the last bit rather unsurely, and, giving a pause and a sharp intake of her breath, is relieved when Shiro doesn't inquire for what the memory could possibly be, and he's watching her with polite interest. She supposes that he's received a few share of his own bad memories, especially with the war and all.

Her eyes flicker to his arm, but quickly, she averts it when she realizes Shiro probably is aware of the fact that her eyes behind her lenses are glittering pity, something that probably doesn't comfort him at all. "Ah, yeah. That's it. Nothing else." She wheezes. Down here, in the cell, since it's not an official prison and only meant for the receptacles to hold people maybe over a couple nights for little things such as drunk driving or partying too hard [something she never got involved in since for one, she can't reach a gas pedal even if she was allowed to drive, and secondly, she doesn't go to parties after an incident where she screamed 'shots' repeatedly over at Keith and nearly gave him alcohol poisoning. He's grounded from parties, too, but that doesn't really affect him since unlike her, he doesn't have a life], it means that there aren't any really advanced equipment. They have cameras positioned in this cramped basement, but other than that, she doesn't believe them to have microphones, especially if the prisoners are causing commotion, the police would easily hear it since their offices are just a couple stair steps above.

Pidge sighs, and flops back onto the stiff bed that refused to not be a dick to her back, and scowling, brushes her bangs back. The humidity and moisture collecting in the basement is causing her skin to become clammy and sticky. Ew. 

It's no fun in the basement. 

She can't hack anything from here.

She can't try and help Hunk bake cookies.

She can't commit bank robberies here and blame it on Keith.

She can't roast Keith.

And then there's Lance. Yeah, he's new. Kinda an idiot. But she's not an idiot, therefore she can recognize her own kind whenever she sees them, so she supposes that Lance is actually pretty insightful. Lance happens to be a strange child. Yeah he gets jealous. But he also has this strong sense of respect that honestly grosses her out sometimes because if someone has such an ability to be so admirable and observant of others and not envious, it makes her mad because then it makes it hard for her to hate them. And somehow, he already became a brotherly figure in some way.

A brotherly figure. Yeah she had Keith, but he was more of a close friend. Not a brother. She refused to allow anyone else to treat her like how Matt did. To her, Matt was the only person liable in that position as her brother. She grew distant with Shiro as well, Matt's best friend and someone she actually considered as an older sibling to her, before Matt disappeared. There was supposedly a call from the military, and Shiro and Matt went. Only Shiro came back.

With PTSD, and a mechanical arm.

Matt didn't come back.

It's been three years, and Matt still hasn't come back.

And she's still waiting. The rational part of her brain reminds her that the possibility of Matt being considered  _breathin_ _g_ , has been flat-lining for a long time. But she's gonna wait for him, because it's not like waiting's going to do any harm. She's mentally over it. She's just open-minded to other possibilities.

And that was the end of it.

Until fucking Lance was like 'fuck you and your self-deprecating shit imma rock your world'.

And so now, she's worried. She never thought she'd get so attached to some random boy she met. Already, she considered Lance as to be part of their trio, ergo turning it into a foursome. 

Losing Lance wouldn't be the same as losing Matt. Both are dear, and frankly, even though she wants to deny it, she's unsure of who to save. She wants to desperately see Matt again. But he's been gone for so long, and she's grown accustomed to just. Living. Living without him. But without Lance would be a fresh wound, it'd be simply more painful, because she's grown numb to the pain inflicted from losing Matt.

But both would be equally painful.

_When I touched the glowy thing-I saw Matt._

_I saw him bleeding, lacerrations gashing his chest, his eyes mutilated until they're just a soupy consistency of pink, the colors swirling like the pattern on a candy cane. His mouth unhinged, jaw broken and mottled with green and blue as his tongue's torn apart. He was alive. He was alive, and felt all of it._

_Then, I saw someone I didn't know. With lavender skin, dabbled with orchids in some patches, and amber eyes, staring at me. They looked my age._

_And they were crying._

_And I could only stand there and watch as she cried, and with each new appearing wound on Matt, it appeared on them too._

* * *

 "Shit you never watched  _Star Wars?_ " Lance gapes, and Keith just blinks, his eyes flickering around, clearly confused and waiting for someone to show that they're confused with him, before clasping back on Lance, who's still wheezing.

"Uh, no? And close your mouth you look like your brain isn't getting enough oxygen. I mean, you probably always look like this but-"

 _"Fucking hooligan don't talk to me!"_ Lance cuts off Keith, successfully leaving the other boy with words stunted on his lips. "Goddamn I knew you weren't good from the moment I saw your mullet, but now,  _Star Wars?_ Don't talk to me or my son every again!"

"Lance, I'm not your son." Hunk answers flatly, and Lance gasps, mock betrayal etched into his features.

"That's it, you're disowned!"

"I like how we just learned we can keep up with Lotor and this is how we celebrate." Keith flatly states from the side, but, his lips are curled upwards. It's inevitable that they're all giddy. After Allura informed them of her new information, it was as if the emotion clotted in their lungs, suffocating and stuttering, wanting to be released in gasps, wheezes and accompanied with tears, cleared. Just fucking left.

Leaving all of them feeling refreshed, buzzed and drunk off of excitement and adrenaline, and delirious with happiness. But none of them outright said their gladness, rather they just injected all their lightheartedness into bickering that held no real toxin, and just pointless yet happy fuckeries. Lance is already jumping on the couch.

And Keith, Keith is exuberant. 

This, will reveal Lotor's criminal activity. 

This will release Shiro.

This will help them find Pidge.

"Ahhhhhhhh it's been ten minutes when is Allura getting back?" Lance gripes, as the couch underneath his feet creaks as he leaps and flops down onto it. 

"Give her time." Hunk snorts. "You need more patience."

"FUCK no I want my badass sister to fucking expose that bitch!" Lance whoops, his face aglow from happiness. And Keith, who sits in the corner, coaxing Red to sit on his lap, cannot help but feel rather comfortable where he is. In this house, with random sleeping bags and depressions in furniture where new people came in and slept like one huge sleepover, where the blinds are shut, where the house was ransacked and only yesterday also housed fear, tiredness, and sadness-

It felt like home now that all those emotions were chased out. 

And though Lance and Allura were only just recently incorporated into their lives, all of them strangers, it felt right. Yeah, maybe he hated Lance at first, who randomly used their bathroom without permission, and maybe Allura seemed bossy at first and rather irritated considering how though it was left unsaid, it felt as if just decided to take Shiro's place, he's growing to adapt to this situation.

Lance was pretty funny at times. Lighthearted. Reminded them that even though the world's going to shit, and maybe the apocalypse is happening right now and they can't do anything to stop it, that they needed to talk sometimes. That their emotional values still mattered, even though it seemed less important in the face of survival.

Allura wasn't bossy, she was a leader. She was strong, and demanding when needed, and knows her shit. And while Keith feels pressure whenever talking to her, considering how he felt intimidated by her presence, every time he did communicate with her, it was almost empowering. It was nice, and he felt as if someone reminded him that there's someone else going through this as well. That he can rely on someone else to take responsibility, that he's not alone.

"Okay, but after Lotor, then what? I mean, I guess we wouldn't really die in the dome. We can....farm?" Lance crinkles his nose, and Keith snorts at his expression. "No, but like, really. What next? Eventually we'd run out of water, right? We don't have an actual source of water here, and I don't think rain will get through the dome." Lance expresses his worry.

At this, Keith stops stroking Red, who tenses at the sudden change of motion. "You....do bring up a good point." Keith admits, surprise evident in his voice. Lance gives him The Look™ that Keith already associated with sarcasm, disbelief, and dull shock. Or, summing it up: 'The 'bitch-excuse-me-look'. "I'm not saying I didn't think you come up with good ideas." Lies. Keith may have unconsciously underestimated Lance's abilities and intelligence. Something about the boy never shutting up just irritated Keith to the belief that nothing good comes out of that boy's mouth.  

"Anyways, we'll worry about that later. Let's just focus on the good news right now." Hunk cracks his thick knuckles. Keith nods in agreement, as he returns to stroking his cat.

* * *

 Lance supposes he truly was never alone. He had Keith and Hunk. There was Pidge, that little gremlin who he shockingly grew extremely fond of, and there was also Hunk, who he connected and clicked with almost automatically. 

But Allura was different. 

She knew him since he was born. She understands his attitude, his personality, his actions without meaning to. Meaning that he's unafraid to say anything to her. He could scream the worst at her, he would shout, cry, and snap at her, lashing his anger, his negative emotions and burdening her with the mess left behind in his broken state after the violent rage passed. And he felt safe, because she wouldn't feel hurt. Sometimes that would anger him into screeching even more mortifying things at her, in an attempt to break her, because somehow, the expression she always wore, of indifference and cautiously blank, whenever he shouted at her, made him feel as if he was nothing. That even his words amounted to nothing, words, which were the last thing he had, the only thing he can rely on.

But the fact that she knows how he truly feels, so she knows his anger was spawned from her, she just happened to be the only person he felt comfortable to break and snap at, calms him.

Allura was always there for him in that sense.

Even though it was unfair, she was always there, as an anchor, a support system. Her wit, her dry humor, her innocence, amounted and built his own personality as well.

Maybe there was Shiro, but Lance could barely do anything humiliating in front of him, couldn't spill spaghetti on the floor in an act of boycotting doing the dishes, couldn't truly go full out with his emotions. Shiro was more of an idol. Someone Lance knew he had to build boundaries for. He wasn't Allura, even though personality and advice wise, they may be similar.

Allura was different. He may not be alone, even without her, but that didn't change her value.

 

And so maybe that's why, as he's staring at the twitching, bloody body on the sidewalk, does he feel alone, even though large arms wrap around his waist in a feeble attempt of a hug, and a hesitant hand landed on his shoulder. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hahhaa i disappear for like a month, give you this shitty and extremely short chapter, and just leaves.
> 
>  
> 
> im sorry.
> 
> and i rlly need to figure out where im going with this.


End file.
